“These are truly testing times. Political debates are heating up as parties prepare for a general election, while international developments, especially the conflict in the Middle East, are creating chaos for businesses with a combination of demand and supply-side pressures,” he begins.

Despite these challenges, Refalo points out that Malta’s economy continues to grow. “Growth is encouraging but it also brings pressures, especially on human resources,” he says. “Companies struggle to fill vacancies and competition for talent is intense. More often than not, private firms must rely on foreign workers to keep operations running.”

This, he says, ties directly into the electoral cycle.

“Malta’s competitiveness must be preserved. Political promises must be realistic and affordable. Populist pledges, like offering every type of leave imaginable, might appeal to voters but threaten long-term economic stability and put further pressure on the already increasing national debt. Policy should be evidence-based and sustainable.”

The key word for Refalo is certainty.

“While we have no control on most of the developments taking place around us, we must not fuel further uncertainty ourselves. We cannot afford surprises. Our businesses, workers and economy deserve policies grounded in reality and focused on sustainable long-term growth,” he adds.

He singles out the public sector as a particular concern. “Unfortunately, we continue to see skilled employees attracted away from the private sector for government roles where their abilities are often underused. Not to mention social media adverts that promote public sector jobs under the premise of possibly working less. This practice destabilises businesses and disrupts the labour market.

Refalo frames these concerns within a broader vision.

“We strongly support initiatives such as Malta Vision 2050, which push for sustainable, inclusive and productive growth. Every decision carries an opportunity cost. True leadership requires choosing what serves the nation’s long-term interest. We cannot afford to get it wrong; the future depends on decisions we take today.”

Refalo is particularly concerned about issues related to Malta’s human resources, especially Malta’s labour migration framework. While the policy has been welcomed as a step toward addressing workforce challenges, including skills gaps and the need to attract and retain third country national workers, it still faces practical hurdles, he says.

“We are all for initiatives that help stabilise the labour market and bring in the skills our economy needs,” he explains. “But excessive costs, unclear procedures and under-resourced regulatory bodies are creating unnecessary burdens for both employers and workers. Policies must be workable and enforceable in practice, not just ideal on paper.”

Debates over flexible working arrangements, including the idea of a four‑day week, have also grown. “Flexibility can work,” Refalo says, “but only when it is underpinned by higher productivity, technology, automation and investment in skills. Our researched position shows that most employers do not yet support the idea of a blanket four‑day measure for Malta. Labour shortages, rising costs and operational realities vary across sectors. Work‑life balance is important but solutions must be grounded in the realities of individual firms. At the same time, social dialogue remains non-negotiable. Refalo expressed disappointment at the association’s exclusion from recent government-driven, technical committees related to employment and industrial relations.

“Malta enjoys industrial stability because responsible partners engage in constructive dialogue. Excluding employers from committees discussing employment and industrial relations is unacceptable. Decisions made without our involvement risk imbalance and undermine the process.”

In conclusion, Refalo delivers a clear message: Safeguarding Malta’s economic future requires collaboration, foresight and a refusal to compromise on principles for electoral expediency.

“We stand for policies that drive sustainable growth and which are designed to strengthen the country’s competitiveness. We also stand for the acceptance and practice of core values in the advancement of our society,” Refalo continues while stressing “we are steadfast in our belief that ethical principles provide the foundation for economic and social policies that genuinely serve the national interest. In this light, we have recently commented that public officials must lead by example and demonstrate integrity, transparency and full accountability in the conduct of their duties.”

In this context, Refalo frames the association’s mission as more than advocacy, but one which serves a wider economic cause.

“Our role is to ensure that the voices of employers are heard, that labour policies work in practice, and that long-term growth is underpinned by integrity and ethical employment practice. We are committed to being a constructive partner in making those decisions count.”

The post Malta cannot gamble its competitiveness for election pledges – Malta Employers president first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

Registered full-time employment  

During October 2025, Administrative and support service activities (NACE 77-82) and Human health and social work activities (NACE 86-88) contributed mostly to the increase in full-time employment, when compared to October 2024, amounting to 2,377 and 1,400, respectively. Registered full-time employment in the private sector went up by 10,065 persons to 246,590. Public sector full-time employment increased by 2,001 persons to 55,195.

The number of persons registered as full-time self-employed rose by 871 when compared to October 2024, while the number of persons registered as employees increased by 11,195. Full-time employment for males and females went up by 4.0 per cent and 4.4 per cent respectively, over 2024 levels.

Registered part-time employment  

Registered part-time employment in October 2025 increased by 8.1 per cent when compared to the corresponding month in 2024. The sectors that contributed mostly to the overall increase were Transportation and storage (NACE 49-53) followed by Accommodation and food service activities (NACE 55-56), amounting to 885 and 785, respectively. 

The number of part-timers who also held a full-time job amounted to 49,097, up by 10.8 per cent when compared to the corresponding month in 2024. Employed persons whose part-time job was their primary occupation totalled 36,122, up by 4.7 per cent when compared to the same month in 2024.

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TalentSync will analyse skills development needs across three industries and three countries: the aviation industry in Malta, the food innovation sector in Ireland and the tourism industry in the Netherlands. Using and refining the methodology used by the National Skills Council in a pilot project focusing on the maritime industry, TalentSync will produce sector-specific reports identifying current and future skills requirements. These findings will support a better functioning labour market through more informed workforce planning, education strategies and training initiatives.

Through two study visits and a series of online workshops, employers will be able to exchange experiences with counterparts in Ireland and the Netherlands, learn from different approaches to workforce development, and explore new ways of addressing skills needs within their sectors.

Speaking during the launch, the President of Malta Employers Ivan Refalo emphasised the importance of forward-looking workforce planning. “Our economy has grown rapidly. Sustaining that growth requires us to ensure that people have the right skills for the jobs of tomorrow,” he said. “Malta has set ambitious targets through its Vision 2050. However, such goals cannot be reached without a stronger alignment between industry, education and policymakers in terms of human resource development. This project aims to bring all stakeholders to better anticipate and better manage future labour market needs.”

Malta Employers EU Helpdesk Coordinator and Project Lead Kurt Cortis highlighted the practical benefits of the initiative. “TalentSync will provide stakeholders a clearer insight into the specific sectors.  More importantly, in the longer term, it will equip Malta Employers with a template to study the needs of other industries in the years ahead,” he said. “This knowledge can help businesses plan recruitment, training and development more effectively, while also supporting workers in preparing for future opportunities.”

Funded under the Erasmus+ programme, TalentSync aims to deliver a refined and transferable methodology for analysing skills needs that can be applied across multiple sectors and countries, supporting long-term workforce development and economic resilience.

The event was also addressed by Dr Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, Minister for European Funds and the Implementation of the Electoral Programme and Dr Jeffrey Pullicino-Orlando, Executive Chairman of the National Skills Council.

The post Malta Employers launch TalentSync project to strengthen future skills first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

Adrian brings over two decades of experience advising clients on public procurement, aviation, asset financing, dispute resolution and M&A, and has played an important role in strengthening the firm’s capabilities in procurement and aviation-related matters.

James Scicluna, Managing Partner at WH Partners, commented:

“Adrian’s promotion to Partner reflects the strong impact he has made since joining the firm. I’m delighted to be able to say he is now a Partner.”

Adrian Mallia added: “The past months have given me the opportunity to work with an incredibly talented team focused on delivering concrete results, and I look forward to continuing to support the firm and its work in the months ahead.”

The post WH Partners Malta announces the promotion of Adrian Mallia to partner first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The association said that it is in favour of flexible working arrangements and has an open mind about the concept of a four-day week, when this is viable for a given business. 

It maintains that decisions on working conditions, including the introduction of a four-day working week, must remain at the discretion of individual employers and aligned with the operational realities of each organisation. The Association cautioned against blanket or economy-wide measures, stressing that even businesses operating within the same sector face very different commercial and structural challenges.

“Every employer should be free to offer working conditions that are suited to the organisation and the nature of its business. No two businesses are the same, even when they operate within the same sector. For this reason, there should be no blanket measures imposed”, Ivan Refalo, President of Malta Employers, said, while addressing a conference hosted by the Association to debate the issue whilst launching its formal position paper on the subject.

“At the same time, competition for workers is already intense and the public sector should avoid introducing flexible working arrangements that are not viable within a competitive, commercial environment to ensure a level playing field in the labour market. The conference hosted by Malta Employers was not aimed at finding quick fixes but rather about achieving a win-win outcome that protects Malta’s competitiveness while maintaining the harmonious industrial relations that have characterised recent years,” he added.

The publication, Debating the Concept of a Four-Day Week in Malta, features an extensive analysis and set of recommendations prepared in response to the growing public debate around the possible introduction of a four-day working week, the MEA said.

“The paper examines reduced-hours arrangements, compressed working weeks and productivity-linked models, assessing their potential impact on productivity, labour costs, competitiveness and family life within the specific context of the Maltese economy.”

It also reviews experiences in different countries alongside studies by organisations including the ILO and the OECD. “It concludes that outcomes vary widely depending on economic structure, productivity and income levels, as well as whether changes are introduced voluntarily or through legislation.”

In this position paper, Malta Employers cautions that a four-day working week is not a universally applicable solution and that while it may work in specific company settings, Malta’s current realities and labour market constraints, presently rule out any economy-wide approach.  

Consequently, Director General Kevin J Borg noted that while the debate on working hours has intensified internationally, there is no single model that can be applied uniformly across all sectors. He cautioned that blanket reductions in working hours risk increasing labour costs, undermining competitiveness and leading to unintended consequences, including job losses or greater reliance on imported labour.

“Any meaningful reduction in working hours over the longer term must be preceded by a broader economic transition towards higher value-added activity, supported by investment in technology, digitalisation, automation, AI and skills development”, Borg added.

While acknowledging the genuine pressures faced by families, particularly dual-income households with young children, the position paper recognises the importance of work-life balance, employee well-being and family-friendly measures. However, it stresses that any discussion on a four-day week should be grounded on evidence and social dialogue rather than imposed legislative solutions underpinned by generalisations, unrealistic expectations and false assumptions, the MEA said.

As part of the analysis, Malta Employers also conducted a survey among its members, with preliminary findings pointing to notable reservations within the business community. Initial results show that 56% of employers surveyed do not believe that a four-day week is suitable for Malta at this stage. 31% of surveyed employers said they would favour a four-day week defined as a condensed 40-hour week with the same pay, while 10% favour a four-day week of 32 hours with a pro rata reduction in salary. 

The post Blanket reductions in working hours undermine competitiveness and jobs – Malta Employers first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The report, led by Permanent Secretary Mark Musu, notes that the review is taking place amid rapid demographic change. Fertility has fallen to 1.06, while life expectancy continues to rise. By 2070, people aged 65 and over are expected to account for 33.6% of the population, and the Old Age Dependency Ratio – the ratio of pensioners to workers – is projected to double within the next 45 years.

These trends contrast with positive developments in the labour market, including record employment rates, higher female participation and an increase in foreign workers, it said.

The report states that recent pension reforms have improved adequacy by around five percentage points. These reforms include changes to the annual pension increase mechanism, higher pensionable income limits – including for those born before 1962 – stronger contribution credits and improvements to minimum pensions.

An incentive allowing individuals to receive an additional pension increase of up to 29% if they continue working and defer drawing their pension has attracted almost 7,900 people since 2016, it said. As a result, long-term projections show improved sustainability, with the point at which pension spending exceeds income shifting from 2051 to 2054, it said.

While no increase in the retirement age or social security contribution rate is being considered, the Pensions Strategy Group identifies several structural issues for further analysis. These include the role of migration, wage composition and job quality, the impact of child-rearing, participation in private pensions, alignment of the Guaranteed Minimum Pension Level and fertility policies.

The public is invited to submit feedback on 14 questions during a consultation period running from Monday 5 January to Friday 3 April 2026, which will inform the Group’s recommendations on the future direction of Malta’s pension system.

The post Pensions report warns one in three people will be over 65 by 2070 first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The Employed Population

On average, out of every 100 persons aged between 15 and 64 years, 82 were employed. The male employment rate for this age bracket was 87.0% while that for females stood at 75.1%. The largest share of employed persons was recorded among persons aged between 25 and 34 years, for both males and females.

Self-employed persons accounted for 13.6% of all persons with a main job. The majority of employed persons worked on a full-time basis and amounted to 300,244. A further 36,990 had a part-time job as their primary employment.

Results show that, on average, full-timers usually worked 41.1 hours while part-timers worked 22.6 hours per week. In the third quarter of 2025, employed persons actually worked 33.3 hours per week, 0.6 hours less when compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

The average monthly basic salary of employees for the third quarter of 2025 was estimated at €2,132. The highest basic salary was recorded in the Financial and insurance activities sector.  Average monthly salaries varied from €1,336 among persons employed in elementary occupations to €3,467 among managers.

The Unemployed and Inactive Population

The unemployment rate for the third quarter of 2025, stood at 2.7%. Females accounted for 58.6% of total inactive persons and those over 65 years made up the highest share of the inactive. The main reason for inactivity relates to persons reaching retirement age or taking up early retirement (42.8%).

Almost 39% of persons aged 15 years and over had attained a secondary level of education or less. By contrast, 38.8% of the employed had a tertiary level education.

The post Total employment stood at 337,234 in third quarter of 2025 first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The Malta Chamber also extends its heartfelt appreciation to outgoing Chairperson Mr David Matrenza for his dedicated service and valuable contribution to TradeMalta’s strategic development.

TradeMalta isa public-private partnership between the Government of Malta, currently under the remit of the Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade, and The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry. TradeMalta is dedicated to helping Malta-based businesses go international.

The post Council Member Daniel Galea appointed new Chairperson of TradeMalta first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

This news release includes students enrolled in formal education with a minimum duration of one semester of full-time study (or the equivalent in part-time) and that are delivered from Malta. Students are included irrespective of whether they are residing in Malta or abroad. The population of educational institutions considered include institutions delivering formal education programmes from Malta, whether online or face-to-face, at post-secondary and tertiary level.

The number of students enrolled in post-secondary levels stood at 10,399, whilst 22,276 students were enrolled in tertiary education. Males outnumbered females in post-secondary education by 2.8 percentage points, whilst there were more females enrolled in tertiary education than males by 10.6 percentage points. 

Post-secondary students

Post-secondary students enrolled in sixth forms and other post-secondary institutions totalled 10,399 during academic year 2023-2024, an increase of 2.8 per cent over the previous academic year. This reference year saw more males than females enrolled at post-secondary level, as was seen in the previous academic year.

The largest proportion of post-secondary students was aged under 19 years (86.0 per cent). Foreign students enrolled in post-secondary institutions amounted to 1,808, accounting for 17.4 per cent of the total students enrolled at post-secondary level.

The vast majority of students at post-secondary level were enrolled in state-run institutions (84.2 per cent). Slightly more than half of the students were enrolled in courses or programmes of vocational study orientation (55.7 per cent).

Tertiary students

Students enrolled in tertiary level courses totalled 22,276 during academic year 2023-2024, an increase of 5.5 per cent when compared to academic year 2022-2023. An increase was also reflected in the total number of educational institutions offering tertiary education during this academic year. Female students comprised 55.3 per cent of the total students enrolled at the tertiary level.

The number of students at tertiary level who were studying on a full-time basis amounted to 16,293, or 73.1 per cent of the total. Part-time enrolments showed a decrease of 8.7 per cent over the previous academic year. The largest proportion of students in tertiary education were aged between 20 and 24 years old (39.1 per cent).

During academic year 2023-2024, foreign students enrolled at the tertiary level totalled 8,252, equivalent to 37.0 per cent of all tertiary enrolments, where 21.9 per cent were non-EU nationals and 15.1 per cent were other EU nationals. This resulted in an increase of 27.0 per cent of foreign students over the previous academic year.

The largest proportion of tertiary students were engaged in courses at ISCED level 6 (Bachelor’s or equivalent) (50.2 per cent), followed by ISCED level 7 (Master’s or equivalent) at 32.5 per cent. Maltese students made up the majority of enrolments in ISCED levels 5 (Short-cycle tertiary education), 6 (Bachelor’s or equivalent) and 7 (Master’s or equivalent), whilst in ISCED level 8 (Doctoral or equivalent), the majority of students were foreign nationals (72.7 per cent). Female students outnumbered their male counterparts at almost all tertiary ISCED levels, except in ISCED level 8 (Doctoral or equivalent).

At tertiary level, the most popular field of study was ‘Business, administration and law’ with 6,807 students, or 30.6 per cent of the total number of students. This was followed by the ‘Health and welfare’ field with 5,050 students, or 22.7 per cent of the total. The least popular field of study at tertiary level was ‘Generic programmes and qualifications” scoring an uptake of only 0.1 per cent.

The majority of students enrolled at ISCED level 6 and ISCED level 7 were mainly enrolled in state-run institutions (70.2 per cent and 61.9 per cent, respectively), whilst those in ISCED level 5 and ISCED level 8 were mainly enrolled in independently-run institutions (75.5 per cent and 67.1 per cent, respectively). The fields of study “Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary” and “Education” were mainly composed of Maltese students (94.7 per cent and 93.4 per cent, respectively).

The post Number of students in post-secondary, tertiary education up 4.6% in 2023-24 first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The EU Pay Transparency Directive will come into force on the 24^th of December 2025 and by the second half of 2027, the Directive mandates that employers with over 100 employees across the EU must also submit their first report on pay transparency.

According to Joanne Bondin, who leads misco’s HR operation, this Directive marks a pivotal moment across Europe for the sector.

“It reinforces the long-standing Maltese principle of equal pay for equal work, while also embedding the concept of equal pay for work of equal value, with particular emphasis on ‘value’ and aiming to narrow the gender pay gap.”

“I believe that all those who work in the field of HR should not regard this Directive as another compliance requirement, but as a real opportunity for meaningful change in how we reward, value, and engage our people,” adds Bondin.

One of the most notable changes is the requirement for greater openness in recruitment, where employers will be obliged to inform job candidates of the salary range for a vacancy, though the timing of this disclosure is left for employers to decide strategically.

Notably, asking about an applicant’s current or past remuneration will no longer be permitted.

“This shift has the potential to reset entrenched hiring dynamics by focusing discussions on the value of the role rather than the perceived worth of the individual based on previous earnings.”

Equally significant is the right for employees to request information on their own pay and how it compares with that of colleagues performing the same or similar work, broken down by gender.

“For some organisations, this may challenge long-standing taboos around salary discussions. However, for HR professionals, this underlines the role that transparency plays in building trust, clarity, and accountability,” adds Bondin.

The directive goes further still. Large organisations, initially those employing 250 or more people, and later those with as few as 100, will be required to submit reports on their gender pay gap – a decisive step toward embedding transparency and fairness into corporate structures, with HR playing a critical role in ensuring the process is both meaningful and constructive.

“What this directive demands is not a legal workaround but a cultural transformation,” notes Bondin.

“It challenges employers to re-examine the foundations of their pay and grading systems, asking whether they are truly gender-neutral and performance-driven, and places the responsibility for equitable structures firmly within the HR function, where it belongs.”

HR professionals should view this as an opportunity to strengthen their organisation’s offering and as a platform where transparency and openness form the basis of decisions, giving both employers and employees a clear framework for pay-related matters.

Bondin believes that HR teams should lead this transformation as a strategic initiative.

“Those in HR are the ones who truly understand the people and the culture of their organisations. Compliance could be a starting point, but ultimately, culture change is the destination.”

“The approach needs to be a proactive one. Every organisation should start with a thorough internal audit, not just to identify gender pay gaps, but to understand the mechanisms behind their pay decisions.”

“Often, disparities arise not from intentional bias but from outdated practices, inconsistent evaluation criteria, or natural organisational changes such as rapid growth or mergers. These disparities cannot be addressed only with data but through dialogue and reflection.”

“This is where HR adds real value. As HR practitioners, we are uniquely positioned to challenge assumptions, ask difficult questions, and design the frameworks needed to ensure fairness is embedded at every stage of the employee journey. From how we write job descriptions to how we determine how merit increases, HR strategy remains central to achieving pay equity.”

According to Bondin, pay transparency also strengthens employer branding, particularly with younger talent and while technology supports data tracking, it is HR’s human-centred approach that can ensure fairness, clarity, and trust in pay practices.

“There will inevitably be resistance. Change of this scale can cause discomfort, particularly in organisations unaccustomed to such openness. But the benefits far outweigh the challenges. A transparent pay culture reduces grievances, fosters a sense of value and respect among employees, and nurtures trust,” she added.

“I hope that many companies in Malta will not view transparency in remuneration as just a legal obligation but as a timely opportunity to close the gender pay gap.”

“This law will redefine what fairness in the workplace truly means.”

The post The EU Pay Transparency Directive: ‘An opportunity for HR to lead meaningful change at the workplace’ – Joanne Bondin first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.