Peter Holicza

Óbuda University

Budapest, Hungary

holicza.peter@rh.uni-obuda.hu

BEYOND THE HEADLINES: ECONOMIC REALITIES OF MIGRATION AND THE LABOUR MARKET IN MALTA

Ava Marie Stone

George Mason University

Arlington, VA United States

ava.mstone@outlook.com

 Abstract. In January 2016, the International Monetary Fund released a report confirming that increased labour mobility to Malta had a positive impact on the country’s economy. A mass inflow of non-Maltese workers has boosted Malta’s potential growth and offset the declining working Maltese age population. The presence of foreign nationals has dramatically increased in one the world’s most densely populated countries. Political discourse, social tensions and the government’s slow response  addressing the needs of  increasingly diverse constituency have proven that Malta is still an island in transition. By establishing the rapid change in demographics and economic expansion, this paper  explores the media’s role in informing the public on  economic realities and implications that an increase in migrants and immigrants has had on the economy.

Received: July, 2015

1st Revision: October, 2016

Accepted: December, 2016

DOI: 10.14254/2071-8330.2016/9-3/7

JEL Classification: F22, J61

Keywords: international mobility, Malta, labour market, immigration, public attitudes