Hundreds apply as staff nurses

A call for applications for employment as staff nurses, issued in February 2010, had attracted a total of 631 applications – 188 by Maltese and 443 by foreigners, by the last week of October.

Health Minister Joseph Cassar said this in Parliament yesterday in reply to a question by Nationalist MP David Agius.

Minister Cassar said 52 of the applications had been made by people who had already held employment as enrolled nurses and had successfully completed a conversion course to staff nurse. There had also been 78 applications by people who had held temporary employment with the Ministry of Health, Senior Citizens and Community Care.

He made it clear that foreigners who came from outside the EU and did not enjoy freedom of movement in Malta could only be employed on definite contracts.