The PN has said that the government has no plan for immigration and work.
Following the Prime Minister, Robert Abela, giving an interview at the Upper Barrakka Gardens last Friday where he said that the Maltese labour market is saturated and for that reason the government will be clamping down on foreign work permits, the PN called this a governmental failure with regards to a policy on immigration and work. The PN went on to say that it was the government's actions that lacked foresight which caused the saturation of the labour market and as things stand, present workers face steep competition and low wages.
The PN said that Abela clearly admitted that the government failed and doesn't have a policy for immigration and work in Malta. It said that this week, Abela irresponsibly told journalists that labour markets are saturated, in other words, crowded.
The PN said that Abela said this despite the Labour government issuing thousands of work permits without planning ahead, allowed thousands of families to enter the country and start a life in Malta and allowed employers to adapt to a governmental policy that, 'for one to grow, one needs people'. It said that now Abela is saying that more people have entered than needed by the Maltese labour markets.
The PN pointed out that days ago, statistics were issued that showed how the unemployment rate went up by 3.1% meaning from 7,820 to 9,865 in 2023. It said that this policy, that lacks in serious planning, has caused the labour market to be saturated.
The PN also noted that it was the lack of planning by Abela and Finance Minister Clyde Caruana that brought in a culture of uprooting foreign workers into Malta these last 11 years. It said that what is happening is proof of the government's lack of direction, vision and a clear policy of what it wants for the country, particularly when it comes to the issuing of work permits to third country nationals.
The PN said that in a single week, the serious problems Identità and Jobsplus are going through, caused by lack of serious leadership and good governance, were revealed.
Whilst the PN condemns any form of disruption of persons brought to Malta for profit and remains committed to the fight against human trafficking, it condemns the Labour government's policy in these last 11 years which facilitated all this by losing control. It added that this lack of consistency in the government's policy that sends mixed signals, is having negative effects on workers and employers.