MUMN Urges Government and Private Employers to Cover New TCN Costs

MUMN president Paul Pace confirmed he has already contacted both the health ministry and Healthmark, calling for talks to begin without delay. The budget announcement introduced a series of new costs for TCN workers, including a yearly infrastructure fee of €400, roughly €1,000 annually to drive a private car, and charges for public transport and childcare — both of which are currently provided free of charge to citizens and long-term residents. Pace warned the measures risk pushing nurses away from Malta at a time when the health system is heavily reliant on them.

The figures Pace cited illustrate the scale of that reliance. Some 40 per cent of nurses at Mater Dei Hospital are TCNs, whilst at St Vincent de Paul and Mount Carmel that share rises to 60 per cent. At Karin Grech Rehabilitation Hospital the figure stands at 85 per cent, and in the private sector, 95 per cent of nurses are non-EU nationals.

Pace also noted that Malta plans to expand services significantly, including doubling the emergency ward and constructing a 250-bed hospital next to St Vincent de Paul. Healthmark responded by acknowledging that many staff will face added financial pressure in the new year, stating the company is evaluating ways to ease the burden and describing its affected employees as providing an invaluable service. The government has yet to respond publicly.

Should employers be required to cover the costs of government-introduced fees? Source: Times of Malta