TCN Wage Data Shows 75% Earn €20,000 or Less, Contradicting PM's Claim
New data reveals that 75% of third-country nationals in Malta earn €20,000 or less, challenging the Prime Minister's assertion that they are not poorly paid.
Prime Minister Robert Abela has said that “the impression that third-country nationals are poorly paid is wrong.” The latest data suggests otherwise.
Figures tabled in parliament by Finance Minister Clyde Caruana show that in 2024, 34.4% of non-EU citizens earned €12,000 or less. When the threshold is raised to €20,000, three out of every four TCN employees fall into that bracket. That is 61,309 individuals.
A Central Bank study from April 2026 found that the median employment income for TCNs who worked a full year in 2024 stood at just €18,200. This is 38% lower than the national average.
At the other end of the scale, only 1.6% of TCNs earn more than €60,000 annually. The concentration of TCNs in the lowest income tiers is stark.
For Malta’s business community, these numbers carry real weight. Many sectors have relied on TCN labour to fuel growth, but the data exposes a workforce that is financially vulnerable. That vulnerability creates risks around retention, productivity, and social stability.
The government has already introduced new fees and reduced benefits for TCNs. If the wage picture remains this skewed, pressure for further policy action or minimum wage adjustments is likely to build.
Businesses that depend on low-cost TCN labour may need to rethink their cost structures and talent strategies. The debate over the true value of TCNs to the economy is far from settled.