Exclusive: Hundreds Of Cab Drivers Refused Work Permits Amid Identity Malta Crack-Down On Third-Party Fleets
Hundreds of third-country nationals working as drivers with Malta’s ride-hailing platforms had their work permits refused yesterday by Identity Malta and have been given three days to appeal the decision leaving them unsure of their futures on the island.
This comes just weeks after Prime Minister Robert Abela stated that foreign workers who do not provide economic value will be refused, saying that only those who provide such value and do not serve as a burden to the country’s infrastructure will be allowed.
While Abela did not specify which workers he deems invaluable, he did use the word “strong” – implying that there’s some sort of threshold that they should earn.
One driver who reached out to Lovin Malta explained that he had been employed as a food courier and had decided to become a cab driver on the promise of better conditions. He was told that he would be able to start working while Identity Malta issued him a temporary work permit to work as a cab driver.
He said that after starting the €300 application process, he was contacted by Identity Malta for him to start the process of recording his biometric information, which he did. He was then given a “blue paper” that allowed him to work for a couple months and was told he’d eventually be sent a letter that would allow him to collect his ID card from the state agency. Throughout this process, he was contractually employed with a cab fleet company. He eventually received the letter but was given a notice of refusal shortly after.
This has happened to hundreds of third-country nationals, sources explained to Lovin Malta.
This is the letter an applicant received:
The driver said that the company he was working with had advised him to appeal the decision in court but while he was offered help finding a lawyer, he was told that he would have to pay all legal expenses himself. Such court proceedings could take years until an ultimate decision is taken.
A second worker who reached out to Lovin Malta explained that he paid €10,000 to his contracting company to find work in Malta only to have his application refused. Lovin Malta understands this is true of a number of the drivers who have been refused a work permit.
The first applicant confirmed that while he didn’t pay this excessive sum, he has friends and cousins who paid between €10,000 and €15,000 under the pretense of coming to the island for a better future.
Turbulence within the cab industry has been bubbling for some time now.
Earlier this year, Abela warned that Y plate drivers were competing in an “unfair” market – saying that Maltese workers who invested their money in vehicles were disadvantaged against cab companies who brought over 100 cars and 100 third-country nationals to drive them.
“The government had a choice – to either let the market operate freely or to intervene. Many told us to let the market operate freely but I disagreed because I believed we had to protect our citizens who invested money.”
Last year, the government introduced a reform intended to safeguard Y plate drivers. Cab drivers now require a Maltese or EU driving licence to qualify for a Y plate tag, while operators must prove they have a garage space where all their cars can park when not in use, a law that was already in place but wasn’t being enforced.
These reforms led to Y plate protests by drivers who felt targeted by these stricter rules.
Nonetheless, Abela defended the regulations and left the door open for further reform.
Lovin Malta has reached out to Identity Malta for more clarification.
This is a developing story.
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