Migrant workers in Malta face ‘shocking’ levels of exploitation, JRS report warns

A new report by Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Malta has revealed widespread exploitation and mistreatment of migrant workers in Malta, warning that legal precarity is leaving many vulnerable to abuse, discrimination, and even destitution.

Launched on Wednesday at Europe House in Valletta, the study titled Forced to Hide: The Human Cost of Legal Precarity and Labour Exploitation, documents cases of withheld wages, unfair dismissals, unsafe working conditions, bullying, racism, and violations of employment law.

Migrants interviewed described living under constant psychological stress, not only from exploitative work environments but also from fear of immigration raids targeting even long-term residents and workers.

The report, based on interviews with asylum seekers, rejected asylum seekers, undocumented migrants and third-country nationals on Single Work Permits, paints a picture of how Malta’s shadow economy enables systemic abuse. Many participants spoke of being trapped between exploitative employers and immigration systems that deny them basic protections.

JRS Malta issued three main recommendations: the reintroduction of a regularisation pathway for long-term migrants without legal status, prioritising workers’ rights regardless of legal situation, and creating collaborative spaces for dialogue between government, employers, and civil society to address exploitation.

The project, supported by the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM) and the Robert Bosch Stiftung, also includes a series of narrative stories and an animated short film, Paper Ghosts, highlighting the lived experiences of those affected.