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them, our system should recog- nise that. And if our economy depends on workers from over- seas, then their integration into our workplaces and communi- ties must be taken seriously. But labour migration must not become a substitute for invest- ing in the people already here. A sustainable labour market must give Maltese and long- term resident workers the op- portunity to develop, retrain and progress. A skills strategy Malta is developing its Na- tional Skills Strategy for 2026– 2035. But strategy is only worth the paper it is written on if it changes what happens in peo- ple's lives and workplace. We need to become much better at anticipating the skills Malta will need in five, 10- and 15-years' time. Where are shortages emerging? Which sectors are likely to grow? What skills will those sectors require? Are young people getting the information they need to make informed decisions about edu- cation and careers? We should also make lifelong learning realistic for people who are already working, rais- ing families or carrying other responsibilities. Training can- not be something that happens only at the beginning of some- one's working life. The future of work will require people to learn, adapt and sometimes completely change direction. Employers have a responsibility too Businesses benefit when workers become more skilled. They benefit when people stay longer, develop expertise and take on greater responsibility. Training should therefore not be seen as a cost but an invest- ment. The government has a role in making that investment easier, particularly for smaller businesses that may not have the resources of larger organi- sations. But we also need to talk about wages. In 2026, the national minimum wage for a full-time employee is €229.44 per week. The minimum wage is an im- portant protection, but our ambition as a country should be greater than ensuring people remain above the legal mini- mum. We should want people to progress beyond it. A worker who acquires new skills, takes on greater respon- sibility and contributes more to the success of a business should have a route to better pay. That is what career progression means, and this is where the in- terests of workers and employ- ers should meet. A successful business needs good workers. A good worker needs a successful business. The answer is not to choose one over the other. The answer is to create an economic model in which both can succeed. Serious enforcement That also means taking en- forcement seriously. Employ- ment rights only have meaning if they are respected in practice. A worker should not have to choose between accepting un- fair treatment and risking their livelihood by speaking out. Whether it is unpaid wages, excessive deductions, unpaid overtime, breaches of work- ing-time rules or unsafe condi- tions, the law must be enforced. There is also another issue we sometimes overlook—time. A worker is also a parent, a part- ner, a carer, a son or daughter, a friend or a valued member of a community. People work to live so they should not have to sacrifice their entire lives in or- der to work. The future of employment therefore has to include a bet- ter conversation about predict- able working hours, flexibility, family responsibilities, wellbe- ing and the ability to discon- nect from work. We should use technology to our advantage and give our workforce more freedom, not the other way round. Moreover, if we want young Maltese people to remain in Malta and build their future here, telling them that Malta has a low unemployment rate is simply not enough. A young person wants to know whether they can afford a home. They want to know whether their salary will grow and whether they can build a career. They want to know whether having children will mean having to choose between family life and professional life. That should be the real test of our employ- ment policy; not simply how many jobs we created. As the Opposition spokes- person for employment, I do not believe our role should be limited to criticising individual decisions or reacting to the lat- est statistics. Our responsibility is to offer an alternative way of thinking about the future. I believe Malta should move towards a labour market built on four principles: Better jobs, better skills, better productivi- ty and a better balance between work and life. This means creating oppor- tunities for people to progress, investing in skills before short- ages become crises and making sure that workers' rights are enforced. It means supporting businesses that invest in their people and move towards high- er-value activities. Malta does not need to choose between a strong economy and good employment. We should demand both. And that, to me, is the next conversation Malta needs to have about employment. 11 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 11 OCTOBER 2026 OPINION We need an economy that works for the people who make it work Annabelle Cilia spokesperson employment Malta does not need to choose between a strong economy and good employment. We should demand both

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