Labour promises paid internships for students

Prime Minister Robert Abela has announced that a Labour government would legally recognise work-based learning and ensure that students and graduates doing internships and traineeships are paid fairly.

Abela made the announcement during a visit to MCAST on Thursday, without media presence.

"Many young people do internships or traineeships during or after their studies but are not paid for them," Abela said, adding that Labour would begin a process to have work-based learning formally recognised in the country's labour laws.

The Prime Minister said the reform would strengthen the quality of learning and give formal recognition to work experience, alongside fair pay for those taking part.

The proposal forms part of a wider package of youth-focused pledges being announced as part of Labour's electoral manifesto.

The proposal forms part of a wider package of youth-focused pledges being announced as part of Labour's electoral manifesto. Among those already announced is a Kick Start scheme, which would exempt young people from tax on the first €30,000 of their income during the first three years of full-time work or running a start-up, leaving them with up to €12,300 more in their pocket over that period. Young people setting up a business would also receive free legal assistance and be exempt from Malta Business Registry fees for the first five years.

Labour has also proposed a mentorship programme involving local entrepreneurs, an Arts Pass giving 18 to 21-year-olds €200 a year to spend on cultural events, and an extension of the Youth Fitness Support scheme to cover physical activities beyond free gym membership. On housing, the party has pledged to lend first-time buyers up to 25% of a property's value interest-free, up to €300,000 for single buyers and €350,000 for couples, a saving of between €65,000 and €75,000 in interest.

Abela said Labour's vision for young people was to understand their realities and help them achieve a balance between work, study, and free time.