Malta’s €800 wage supplement will remain in place for five industries worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic until the end of September, Prime Minister Robert Abela revealed.

These are tourism accommodation, travel agents, language schools, events organisers, and transport.

Any other industry that falls under Annex A of the current wage supplement will go down to €600 for full timerss, also until the end of September. It will be €375 for part-timers.

Abela, who was speaking during a press conference announcing a number of measures to aid the Maltese recovery, revealed that there will be some sectors, who have since reopened, will be moved to Annex B.

No business currently in Annex B will be entirely removed from the supplement. Each benefit will remain in place until the end of September.

Wage supplements were first put in place when entire industries were shut down when the pandemic reached Malta. These measures have now just started to be lifted, with sectors opening up their doors under strict restrictions.

Abela explained that the measures will aid businesses who are suffering from a drop in demand and will also aid their growing costs. 

The government also aims to help businesses in other ways, namely by reducing a 33% reduction on port charges for boats who bring products into the country. This, the government says, will help many businesses who will experience a drop in volume and a hike in prices because of the global recession.

However, the state isn’t just looking inwards. The government will make €400 million available for people looking to promote their products in foreign markets.  Anyone who was set to take part in an international fair can even recoup up to 80% of their costs.

Meanwhile, they’ll also put in €10 million guarantees for exporters looking to expand into risky foreign markets like Africa.

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