In the media, the government welcomes foreign investment. Government leaders, up to and including the President, convey this message in all their overseas visits and to all foreign visitors. The government is most interested in foreign investment in order to achieve growth in exports and industry and enhance the competitive base of the domestic economy.

However, the current immigration law and work permit system is an area of concern. The process of obtaining proper documentation in order to be able to live and work here can seem like an endless maze of bureaucracy.

It is hard for many foreign business people to comprehend why a company that could be established in the United States, France or England in a matter of hours and at nominal cost should go through weeks or months of administrative formalities in Malta.

Furthermore, the language of the law on foreign self-employed is quite ambiguous to allow flexible interpretation by government officials.

Bureaucratic procedures are often complex and time-consuming. According to the law it is assumed that renewal of a work permit should normally take from four to eight weeks to process, depending on the type of permit and other factors. However, in reality the circumstances are quite different and applicant/s may face administrative harassment. Renewal of a one-year work permit can take as long as seven to 10 months to be approved by the police and other government agencies. And the applicant must go to the immigration office several times - and is inevitably kept waiting for hours on end.

One may ask: Why should foreign self-employed or investors who have been running their own businesses on a full-time basis here for 10, 15 or 20 years suffer long delays for renewal of their working permit? Indeed, why should they fall within the year-by-year work permit renewal category in the first place?

The immigration authorities or any other government agency should not classify foreign self-employed persons who demonstrate an ability to become economically established in Malta on the basis of their own businesses and make a significant contribution to the economy within the same category as newcomers or holidaymakers.

The principle of non-discrimination is another important aspect of security. In addition to being treated fairly and equitably, foreign investors should not be discriminated against because of their status as aliens. Foreign self-employed and investors ought to be treated as well as nationals and not be placed at a disadvantage in securing permits or authorisations in order to be able to operate smoothly in the country.

The development of effective channels of communication specifically to foreign self-employed and investors would save a lot of time in the renewal of a working or resident permit.

With all the technology that is available nowadays one would suggest that the foreign self-employed would have access to a website where to trace their legal status. Alternatively, they may apply for their working permit through local councils.

The issues raised above need some attention. Foreign investment implies a relationship of trust and confidence between all participants, including foreigners and the host government.

The promotion and attraction of foreign investment does not fall under a specific ministry. It's a shared objective and a tremendous challenge for all ministries, governmental and non-governmental agencies to take full advantage of any investment of whatever size.

cougar@onvol.net

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