Governance Consultant Calls for Week-Long Strike by Non-EU Workers

29 October 2026, 15:02

Following recent controversy surrounding budget measures affecting foreign workers, a governance consultant has urged non-EU nationals to hold a coordinated week-long strike across Malta.

The proposal was put forward as a practical demonstration to show how the country would manage if third-country nationals stopped working simultaneously. The consultant argued that such collective action would clearly illustrate the extent of Malta's economic dependency on imported labour.

Non-EU workers currently make up a large share of the workforce in several key industries across the Maltese islands. These sectors include hospitality, food courier services, care facilities, commercial cleaning, and the construction industry.

The suggestion follows growing friction between government policy and civil society over changes introduced in Budget 2027. Prime Minister Robert Abela has defended stricter regulations and higher fees for non-EU nationals, maintaining that employers should bear more of the public infrastructure costs associated with foreign recruitment.

However, non-governmental organisations and human rights advocates have warned that targeting third-country nationals with additional costs risks pushing vulnerable workers deeper into poverty. Critics have also noted that many foreign workers already endure difficult working conditions and low wages.

The strike suggestion adds another layer to an escalating national conversation regarding Malta's economic model, which has experienced rapid population growth and heavy reliance on foreign labour over the past decade.