DIER

On 21st May 2014 the Department for Industrial and Employment Relations  (DIER)– in Malta – held a National Conference on The Conditions of Employment and the Level of Integration of Third Country Nationals at their Place of Work This was part financed by the European Fund for the Integration of Third Country Nationals (IF), and organized within the General Programme re Solidarity & Management of Migration Flows 2007-2013. The Conference was addressed by the Hon. Dr. Helena Dalli, Minister for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties. Dr. Noel Vella, Director  of the Department gave an overview of the importance attached by his Department to helping provide integration support to TCN’s in the local labour market ‘The aim should be to help TCN’s grow in experience and opportunity, not be discriminated against and contribute to Malta’s economy in the process. Employment is a crucial part of the integration process.  A TCN is a person who comes from a non-EU country and can include economic migrants as well as an asylum seeker. If a TCN obtains even ‘temporary’ humanitarian protection, he/she becomes entitled to work and earn a living…and obtains free movement in these Islands. A TCN granted Asylum is given even more privileges , amongst which a right to social security benefits. The conclusion was that much has been done but a lot still needs doing in this area of ‘integration’, an objective which is beneficial not only to the TCN’s concerned but to the State. There were two Panels of experts and two Workshops ‘Cost of Diversity Management at the Workplace and ‘Addressing Perceptions of TCN’s and other Workers’. Related Legislation includes the Immigration Act, Cap 217, and Employment & Industrial Relations Act Cap. 452.