Malta’s Wages Are Some Of The Lowest In The EU, Study Finds
Workers in Malta earn some of the lowest wages in the European Union, shocking numbers show.
A study by Eurostat revealed that the island nation registers an average hourly labour cost of a mere €14.2 compared to the EU average of €31.8.
Labour costs consist of costs for wages and salaries plus non-wage costs such as employers’ social contributions. In 2023, the share of non-wage costs in the total labour costs, for the whole economy, was 24.7 % in the EU against 25.5% in the euro area.
The share of non-wage costs also varied substantially across EU Member States. Malta recorded the lowest shares (1.4%) followed by Romania (5.0%) and Lithuania (5.4%).
Meanwhile, the highest shares of non-wage costs were recorded in Sweden (32.2%) and France (31.9%).
The study shows that Malta’s wages are among the lowest in the EU, with only Bulgaria (€9.3), Romania (€11), Hungary (€12.8), and Latvia (€13.5) recording lower labour costs.
Meanwhile, Malta’s average for gross hourly earnings was €9.96 in 2018, according to the study, compared to Denmark’s high of €27.24 and Bulgaria’s low of €2.4.
Are you shocked by these numbers?
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