MUMN demands urgent meeting over budget measures targeting TCN nurses

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) has requested an urgent meeting with Health Minister Ian Borg over budget measures targeting third-country nationals (TCNs), warning that they could jeopardise Malta’s healthcare services.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the union said it would present a number of proposals for government to consider before the measures are implemented.

The MUMN insisted that government cannot rely on TCNs to sustain the country's healthcare system while simultaneously introducing measures that make working in Malta less financially attractive.

The 2027 Budget, presented last week by Finance Minister Clyde Caruana, included several measures affecting TCNs, including the removal of free public transport and increased driving licence fees.

The union strongly opposed the measures, raising particular concern over additional financial burdens on foreign nurses.

The measures, it said, come at a time when Malta's healthcare sector remains heavily dependent on foreign nurses to maintain essential services. Rather than introducing measures that could discourage foreign workers, the MUMN argued that government should instead be working to attract, retain, and support more TCN nurses.

“TCNs are not an additional burden on our healthcare system,” the union stressed. “They are an essential part of the workforce that keeps it functioning.”

The union highlighted that public and private hospitals, Church-run elderly homes, and government nursing homes all rely heavily on TCN workers to provide essential care.

Without their contribution, existing staff shortages would become even more difficult to manage, placing additional pressure on already overstretched Maltese nurses.

It warned that the measures could not only undermine existing healthcare services but also jeopardise plans to open new healthcare facilities.

It stressed that TCN nurses do more than fill vacancies, caring for vulnerable patients, supporting elderly residents, and working alongside Maltese colleagues in demanding environments, often under considerable pressure.

“The country cannot afford to jeopardise the availability of an already essential workforce,” the union insisted. “Any policy that risks discouraging the nurses must be carefully reconsidered, particularly when the consequences could ultimately be felt by patients, elderly residents, and the entire healthcare workforce.”

The MUMN therefore called on government to reconsider the budget measures and exempt TCN nurses employed in the healthcare sector from additional taxation.

It also urged government to recognise the importance of foreign healthcare workers and ensure that new policies do not undermine the sustainability of Malta's health and elderly care services.

The union concluded by reaffirming its commitment to defending all healthcare workers, regardless of nationality, stressing that quality healthcare and elderly care depend on the contribution of the entire workforce.