Prime Minister Robert Abela has said that the government’s population policy – the Labour Migration Policy – is working, stating that Malta has recorded its second-lowest net balance of foreign workers since 2017.

“This means the second-lowest figure when calculating the difference between foreign workers arriving in Malta and those leaving. This shows that the Labour Migration Policy is yielding results,” Abela said.

Abela was referring to new data issued by the National Statistics Office which showed that the estimated total population of Malta and Gozo stood at 588,254 at the end of 2025, an increase of 14,004 people when compared to the estimates for 2024 – equivalent to a 2.4% increase.

The increase was practically all as a result of migration, as the country received 32,744 new immigrants throughout the year, and saw 18,388 people emigrate away from the island – meaning that the net migration stood at 13,906 people.

Abela was speaking in an interview with the Times of Malta which was published on Sunday.

Answering a question from interviewer Mark Laurence Zammit, Abela acknowledged that some employers complain that they cannot find enough workers to sustain the expansion of their businesses.

“But how do you respond to employers? By telling them that the Government will turn off the tap of foreign workers? Or by keeping that tap open in a calibrated manner?”

Abela said that foreign workers came to Malta because a Labour Government created jobs, and that the Government is now working to attract investment in technology, artificial intelligence, robotics and more specialised manufacturing.

“Our position has always been clear. The population should grow according to the country’s needs and at a slower rate.”

Asked whether Malta can withstand a population of around 650,000 by the next election – which would be the case based on current trends, Abela said that it depends if the government can maintain a 4% economic growth as it had promised.

“There is a balance and we can find it,” he said.

Planning appeals bill will not include most of previous planning reform – Abela

During the same interview, Abela announced that the Government has reached the final stages of a draft law dealing with appeals in the planning sector, with the bill to be presented to Parliament within the first 100 days of this legislature.

Abela said that the consultation process with stakeholders is ongoing and indicated that the draft is the one that “I believe can easily achieve convergence.” He revealed that the bill consists of three key changes.

He explained that these changes will respect both those applying for permits and those objecting to them.

“Firstly, under the proposed changes, works on a site will not be able to commence before three stages are concluded. This means that the permit must receive approval from the Planning Authority, then go through the appeal stage before the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal (EPRT), and finally proceed to the last stage of appeal before the Court of Appeal. Until these stages are completed, work cannot begin.”

The Prime Minister went on to explain that the second change concerns the timeframes for concluding these stages. He announced that these timeframes will become fixed and shorter than those currently in place, “in the interest of both the applicant and the objector.”

Finally, if the Tribunal overturns a permit issued by the Planning Authority, the applicant’s expenses must be refunded.

The reform will not include other elements which formed part of a controversial planning reform bill that was tabled in Parliament 12 months ago and which was described as a “developers’ wishlist.”

The Prime Minister stressed that the Government intends to enact this reform within the first 100 days of this legislature.

‘The Government’s economic track record Is the guarantee of the future’

“Our track record is the guarantee of the future. Under a Nationalist Government, it would have been difficult to imagine this reality,” Abela said in the interview when speaking of Malta’s economic success.

Abela said that the biggest achievement is that “despite Malta being the smallest Member State of the European Union, we consistently outperform every other Member State in terms of employment and economic growth.”

Abela said that Malta’s economic success stems from the Government’s ability to manage the country’s economy “and because we have never adopted austerity measures.”

During the interview, the Prime Minister once again gave a clear guarantee that the Government will continue to maintain price stability on gas, fuels and electricity.

“We have sufficient fiscal strength to continue providing subsidies. Throughout the crises we have faced, we kept diesel, gas and electricity prices stable, and I am guaranteeing that we will maintain that price stability,” Abela continued.

He stressed that this is only possible because the economy is exceeding the expectations of the agencies that scrutinise it, as well as the Government’s own projections in every Budget.

“For this reason, the next Budget will continue to incentivise people to maintain confidence in the economy. Our job is to keep the public confident,” the Prime Minister and Labour Party Leader stated.

Speaking about the economy, he concluded by assuring that “the guarantee of a Labour Government is that jobs will continue to be created.”

He also said that the PL government had made luxuries accessible to many more people, and that is evident by the amount of people going on more holidays or buying more cars or boats.

The Prime Minister and Labour Party Leader said that the Labour Party made history by securing a fourth consecutive electoral mandate despite all the international challenges and unprecedented difficulties.

The Prime Minister said that since 1st June, “my mindset has been as though we were starting from scratch once again. We began working in this legislature as if the general election were still ahead of us, with the same pace we had during the campaign, meeting and listening to people every day.”

“We have a very ambitious manifesto and we are determined to implement it in its entirety.”

‘The Government does not believe in policies that penalise people’

The Prime Minister and Labour Party Leader said that today Malta is living in a reality where many families can afford to travel abroad or buy a car, while noting that prosperity itself brings challenges.

“But we are a Government that does not believe in policies that penalise people. The choice is either to raise taxes or tell people there are too many cars and let them suffer, or for the Government to invest in infrastructure so that these challenges are minimised.”

Abela listed a number of changes and projects, including major road projects at Kappara and Marsa, the road network around Malta International Airport, as well as the Msida project, which he explained is currently at an advanced stage.

He also referred to sea transport projects between Cottonera and Valletta, and between Sliema and Buġibba, the electrification of public transport, and the ongoing studies related to mass transit. All of this forms part of the Malta in Motion framework, which will integrate different modes of transport.

When asked about tourism, Abela dismissed what he described as the false claim that 17 beaches are closed, while also recalling measures taken by the Government to strengthen enforcement and controls. He stressed that it was this Government that eliminated seasonality, meaning that tourist numbers are now spread more evenly throughout the year.

During the same interview, the Prime Minister and Labour Party Leader guaranteed that a Labour Government delivers on the promises it makes in its electoral manifesto.

He listed a number of important commitments that will be implemented, including the Super Bonus for all workers and the payment of therapy costs for children with neurodivergent conditions.