Anti-Poverty Forum concerned over third country nationals being charged for healthcare in first year

The Anti-Poverty Forum has expressed concern over third-country nationals being charged for healthcare during their first year in Malta despite being in employment.

The Forum referred to an article that appeared in the Times of Malta titled "Children of non-EU workers wrongly charged for hospital care."

"While we acknowledge Malta's strategy to attract skilled immigrants, we are concerned that the current policy, which denies free healthcare to Third-Country Nationals (TCNs) during the first year of their stay, is creating significant challenges. Despite TCNs contributing to the economy through employment, paying National Insurance (NI) and taxes, they are still unable to access free healthcare during their first year in Malta," the Forum said.

"This policy has led to TCNs being hesitant to seek medical care, even in urgent and emergency situations, due to the fear of receiving substantial bills. Unfortunately, this has caused some individuals to avoid necessary medical appointments, including critical prenatal and post-natal care."

"We believe that all individuals contributing to the economy should have access to free healthcare and education. To address this issue, we propose that the policy should apply to those TCNs who have not yet immigrated to Malta, with employers required to provide health insurance for their employees and dependents before their arrival. Similarly, we recommend that this policy extend to education for TCNs in their first year of residence, ensuring equitable access to essential services," the Forum said.

"We urge the government to reconsider this policy and take into account the contributions TCNs are making to Malta's economy, ensuring they receive the necessary support during their initial period of stay."

The statement was endorsed by: OASI Foundation, SOS Malta, Dar Hosea, YMCA - Malta, RISe Foundation, ADHD Malta,