The Anti-Poverty Forum Malta has warned that Budget 2027 measures restricting access to free childcare and public transport for certain third-country nationals risk increasing hardship among migrant families without addressing the underlying pressures on Malta's housing, transport and infrastructure.
In its reaction to the Budget, the forum said it was particularly concerned about restrictions affecting third-country nationals who do not meet the relevant long-term residence requirements, alongside increased work permit fees and additional charges.
It argued that the measures could reinforce hostility towards foreign workers and migrants, particularly in a society where racism remains prevalent in certain sectors.
The forum said shifting responsibility for Malta's housing difficulties, traffic congestion and pressure on public infrastructure onto migrant workers and their families would not resolve the structural causes of these problems.
It described the measures as short-sighted, warning that they risk deepening existing hardships while leaving the country's underlying challenges unresolved.
The forum stressed that third-country nationals were workers, parents and members of local communities who contributed to the economy and sustained essential services. It said their dignity and well-being should remain central to decisions affecting them, adding that children should not have to bear the consequences of such policies.
The Anti-Poverty Forum said it recognised the need to review Malta's economic model and plan responsibly for population growth. It called for coordinated policies addressing labour demand, recruitment practices, affordable housing, public transport, infrastructure investment and environmental impact.
It also warned that workers recruited to sustain the country's economic model should not be made to bear a disproportionate share of the consequences of inadequate planning.
The forum called on the government to reconsider the measures before they are implemented and carry out a transparent assessment of their combined impact on low-income workers, families and children. It said this should involve meaningful consultation with affected communities, civil society organisations, employers and trade unions.
The forum also welcomed several measures in Budget 2027 intended to support people at risk of poverty and social exclusion, including the increased cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), COLA Plus for people on low incomes and the rise in the minimum wage.
It said the minimum wage increase provided direct assistance to people living below the poverty line, as well as those whose incomes placed them just above it.
The forum also welcomed the continued support for pensioners through measures intended to improve their quality of life. However, it said it would have preferred the introduction of a scheme allowing pensioners to continue working while receiving their pension, arguing that this would provide additional income while helping older people remain active and productive.
It further acknowledged the continuation of energy support schemes but raised concerns that, because these apply to both lower-income and wealthier households, they could disproportionately benefit those who are better off rather than adequately reaching those most in need.
The forum concluded that Malta needed long-term solutions to the pressures on housing, transport and infrastructure, warning that policies which differentiate access to essential support according to nationality and residence status risk deepening social divisions and pushing vulnerable people further into hardship.