530 third country nationals to leave Malta after losing job due to Covid-19

530 more persons will be leaving Malta after losing their jobs in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. 300 of these are of Indian nationality, with the remainder from Colombia.

Foreign Affairs Minister Evarist Bartolo made this announcement this morning on Facebook. The Minister said that this repatriation will take the tally of those persons helped by Government to return to their home country after ending without a job throughout the pandemic to 1,998.

This group also includes 633 Italians, 282 Serbians and 260 Albanians.

Smaller groups were also sent back to Greece (29), France (97), Turkey (21), Spain (131), Colombia (211), the UK (32), Bulgaria (76), Bosnia (41), North Macedonia (160) and Poland (25).

Bartolo thanked these workers and explained that Government has financially supported their repatriation in view of the contribution they had given to the Maltese economy.

More people are expected to be returned home, as 2,269 EU nationals and 3,131 third country nationals have in total made such requests. With these persons, more than 650 children will also be leaving the country.

The Foreign Minister insisted that now that Covid-19 is on its way out, there needs to be a discussion on the type of economic model the country needs for its future, recalling how population growth had increased pressure on the island, on its public services such as health and education, on rental prices, traffic and social spaces, leading to a situation where the Maltese felt as foreigners in their own country.