Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1546635
MALTA has the highest propor- tion of small and medium-sized enterprises struggling to recruit workers in the European Union (EU), according to a Eurobarome- ter survey. The findings also show Maltese businesses are more likely than any other EU counterpart to recruit workers from outside the bloc. Malta has emerged as the EU country where small and medi- um-sized enterprises (SMEs) face the greatest difficulty recruiting workers, highlighting persistent labour shortages across the bloc. The survey found that 66% of Maltese SMEs experienced dif- ficulties finding and recruiting skilled employees, the highest rate recorded among all EU member states. The figure is well above the EU average of 46% and contrasts sharply with countries such as It- aly, where only 21% of SMEs re- ported similar problems. The findings point to continued pressure on Malta's labour market despite years of economic growth and rising employment. Along- side Romania, Bulgaria and Slo- vakia, Malta is among a group of countries where businesses strug- gling to recruit outnumber those finding the process easy by a fac- tor of four or more. Industry and medium-sized firms hardest hit The survey, published as Flash Eurobarometer 571, examined re- cruitment patterns among SMEs across the EU. It found that labour shortages are particularly acute in industrial sectors, where just over half of businesses reported diffi- culties filling vacancies. Manufacturing firms also re- ported significant recruitment challenges, while the situation was somewhat less severe in services and retail. Company size also appears to influence recruitment experi- ences. Medium-sized enterprises employing between 50 and 249 workers were the most likely to report difficulties, with 61% facing recruitment problems. By con- trast, 41% of micro-enterprises reported similar challenges, al- though many of the smallest firms had no recruitment needs during the survey period. Faced with a tight labour mar- ket, Maltese businesses are in- creasingly looking beyond the EU to fill vacancies. The survey found that 48% of Maltese SMEs had at- tempted to recruit workers from third countries, making Malta the most active member state in seek- ing labour from outside the EU. The figure is more than three times the European average of 14%. It also far exceeds rates recorded in countries such as Hungary, where only 2% of SMEs reported trying to recruit third-country nationals. Germany and Ireland followed Malta at a considerable distance, with 25% of SMEs in both countries reporting 2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 20 SEPTEMBER 2026 NEWS Two-thirds of Maltese Eurobarometer survey shows Malta has highest proportion of small and medium-sized companies struggling to recruit and the most likely to employ workers from outside the EU JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt The survey found that 66% of Maltese SMEs experienced difficulties finding and recruiting skilled employees, the highest rate recorded among all EU member states CONTINUES FROM PAGE 1 Although single permits are issued by Identità , the identity and work permit management agency, Job- splus is one of the stakehold- ers in the process. Jobsplus is responsible for the labour market test behind each work permit application, a process that requires the agency to determine wheth- er the market does require more employees. But despite the frustration expressed by employers, Job- splus denied there is a back- log in relation to the labour market test. "The latest Jobsplus data for Single Permit applica- tions received between Jan- uary and May 2026 shows that 45% were processed on the same day they were re- ceived. A further 27% were processed within the fol- lowing five days, bringing the cumulative proportion processed within five days to 72%. Overall, 93% were pro- cessed within 10 days and 95% within 15 days," an Em- ployment Ministry spokes- person said. The spokesperson ex- plained that applications that take longer than four weeks to process are usually due to "outstanding or miss- ing documentation, delays in receiving the necessary feedback from the employer, or issues concerning the em- ployer's compliance with ap- plicable national regulations or policies". The spokesperson stat- ed that Jobsplus is one of a number of stakeholders in- volved in the process behind granting single permits, add- ing that the overall process- ing time also depends on the actions and processing of the other competent authorities. "For employment licence applications processed di- rectly by Jobsplus, the time- frame generally provided by stakeholders for the neces- sary feedback is four to six weeks. In the case of single permit applications, the ap- plicable EU legislation pro- vides for a decision within 90 days of the submission of a complete application," the spokesperson added. Meanwhile, a Eurobarom- eter survey (see story next to this) released some weeks ago found that 66% of Mal- tese SMEs experienced dif- ficulties finding and recruit- ing skilled employees, the highest rate among all EU member states. The figure is well above the EU average of 46%. The survey found that 48% of Maltese SMEs had at- tempted to recruit workers from third countries, mak- ing Malta the most active member state in seeking la- bour from outside the EU. The findings also suggests that firms often underes- timate the bureaucratic burden involved to recruit non-EU nationals until they engage directly with the sys- tem. Jobsplus denies labour market test backlog despite employer frustration