Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1543288
7 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 15 FEBRUARY 2026 NEWS must earn €58,000 Income by nationality 2024 0-12,000 12,001-20,000 20,001-30,000 30,001-40,000 40,001-50,000 50,001-60,000 60,001-100,000 100,001 plus 0 5K 10K 15K 20K 25K 30K 35K 40K 45K 13,138 30,242 27,874 8,022 30,306 33,435 7,725 36,559 11,227 5,863 30,586 4,378 3,474 20,026 1,837 2,024 12,069 896 2,793 12,479 862 1,459 3,592 406 EU Citizens Maltese TCNs higher entry point for their top 10%, confirming their polarisa- tion with large clusters at both the bottom and the top of the scale. One notable variation appears in the €20,001–€40,000 annual income range, which serves as a stronghold for Maltese work- ers. While TCN participation drops sharply after €20,000, from 33,435 in the €12,001– €20,000 bracket to just 11,227 in the €20,001–€30,000 range, the Maltese population re- mains steady, with over 67,000 earning between €20,001 and €40,000 annually. The 301,332-strong work- force is composed of 58.4% Maltese, 26.9% TCNs, and 14.8% EU citizens. The 2024 annual income data indicates a highly stratified la- bour market. TCNs provide the bulk of la- bour in the lowest-paid sectors, while EU citizens are propor- tionally most likely to occupy executive or high-speciali- sation roles, surpassing even Maltese nationals in the top income brackets. ADPD proposes tourist cap ADPD-THE Green Party has called for immediate action to address the damaging ef- fects of overtourism in Malta, suggesting limits on tourist capacity. ADPD called for a national strategy focusing on qual- ity rather than quantity. It proposed clear limits on tourism capacity by not ex- panding hotels or increasing hotel beds and short-lets; clear limits on the capacity of sensitive sites and beach- es; transparency and fair- ness in tenders and conces- sions for public land and bays; tourism that respects the environment and local communities; and effective enforcement against abuses and illegalities. The party warned that the current model of unchecked growth is unsustainable and harmful to both residents and the environment. "We have been insisting that the model of reckless growth in numbers is not sustainable. Four million tourists a year is too much, and it is very clear that there is no room for more hotels and tourist accommoda- tion," ADPD Chairperson Sandra Gauci said. She added that more tour- ists do not automatically mean better quality or fair- ly distributed benefits. "It means more traffic, more waste, greater pressure on water and energy resourc- es, and more exploitation of public land and our shores through concessions that often favour the few. It also means more exploitation of workers in low-quality jobs. Ironically, the government, in its Vision 2050, is propos- ing more and more tourism." ADPD acknowledged tour- ism remains an important sector for the economy, but when not planned or regu- lated, it causes more harm than good, noting that Malta is currently experiencing the effects of overtourism. Gauci highlighted Comino, coastal areas and sensitive sites as examples of where tourist pressure has reached alarming levels. Protected sites and Natura 2000 areas are being exploited for com- mercial activities that ex- ceed their capacity, leading to ecosystem degradation, pollution, excessive noise, and loss of natural spaces, she said. "Surely the time has come for the commercialisation of Comino to stop; we are seeing luxury tourist devel- opments for the few," she added. Gauci noted how places like Venice and Ibiza have introduced measures to re- duce pressure on local com- munities. JULIANA ZAMMIT jzammit@mediatoday.com.mt Tourists in Valletta during the summer (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)