Italians in Malta are on the rise, and they are unlikely to go back as they escape economic hardship, according to a social sciences researcher.
Monica Iorio of the University of Cagliari argued in a recent paper that Malta represented one of the newer destinations for Italians, who emigrated in droves since the 2008 global financial and economic crisis.
The exodus of Italians, she said, could not be brushed off as a brain drain since it included many working-age people with an average education seeking job and business opportunities abroad.
The paper published in Rivista Geografica Italiana, a geography journal, is the result of several interviews that Ms Iorio conducted with Italians who are living and working in Malta.
Statistics obtained from the Italian Foreign Ministry’s Institute for Italians Residing Abroad showed that by the end of 2014, there were 2,765 Italians in Malta.
Half of these arrived in the aftermath of the 2008 crisis that left Italy in bad shape. But the upward trend shot up exponentially in 2013 and 2014, coinciding with improving economic conditions in Malta.
More than half are aged between 25 and 54, but Ms Iorio noted that 20 per cent were under the age of 18, indicating the presence of whole Italian families settling down on the island.
However, given that registration with the institute is on a voluntary basis, the number could be much higher, with the Italian embassy in Malta estimating the number to be anywhere between 6,000 and 7,000.
Ms Iorio said 39 per cent of Italians in Malta registered at the Foreign Ministry came from Sicily, but recent trends indicated a higher number of northerners. This, Ms Iorio noted, was in line with the general trend of Italian emigration since 2008.
She said 90 per cent of working-age Italians in Malta were employed, while others opened up their own business concern.
Most of those employed were in tourism-related jobs, followed by the gaming industry. The majority were on fixed contracts and for those with a university degree, the job did not necessarily reflect their area of study. Some complained of poor working conditions, but all agreed life in Malta was “dignified”, even if they did not manage to save money.
“Over here [Malta] I only pay rent. The contrast with Italy is enormous. There is no tax on waste, no television licence fee, VAT is lower than Italy, as is [the cost of] water, electricity and gas,” one interviewee said.
Entrepreneurs who closed shop in Italy and moved to Malta were mostly involved in commercial activities and restaurants. The construction sector was also popular with Italian businessmen.
In the words of one of the interviewees, a 42-year-old from Treviso, the economic crisis, high taxation and the difficulty in accessing credit in Italy were forcing small businesses to close up shop.
Another complained of “too much tax and too little profit”, describing how he had to close his small business as things took a turn for the worse.
“In Italy you have a business partner, not of your choosing, to whom you have to hand over half of your earnings, and that partner is the State,” he said.
A similar story was told by a 60-year-old who closed his Palermo clothes shop to move to Malta in 2013 with his family.
He now operates a bar which sells artisanal sweets.
“It took me less than a month to get going [in Malta], with bureaucracy being simple and containing no surprises. Furthermore, you do not receive a tax form to fill and pay every other day.”
But Ms Iorio also found that Italians were generally disheartened by the situation back home, which made it difficult for them to consider moving back.
Some interviewees spoke of “economic, political and cultural inertia” in Italy that did not inspire hope.
Others, especially those with a job unrelated to their degree, argued they were in Malta because it was “better than nothing” and would consider moving to a bigger country like the UK, the US, Australia or Canada if the opportunity cropped up.
However, a graduate spoke of his satisfaction at being employed in his line of study as a manager with a pharmaceutical company. The young man said he would have only obtained a managerial post in Italy at the age of 60, citing the lack of opportunities for young people to move up the jobs ladder in his homeland.
What is pushing them out?
The global economic crisis in 2008 hit Italy hard, and the country still suffers from high unemployment and little or non-existent growth.
There are 3.5 million Italians out of a job, or 13.4 per cent. Youth unemployment is at a whopping 43.9 per cent.
In 2013, 82,000 Italians emigrated, the highest figure in 10 years, representing a 20.7 per cent increase over the previous year.
Those interviewed for Ms Iorio’s paper gave various reasons for leaving Italy, including: lack of work, high taxes, difficulty to access credit, a general sense of disenchantment with politics and lack of hope for improvement.
Why choose Malta?
Proximity to home, good job prospects and a way of life similar to Italy are the primary reasons listed by Italians who have made Malta their home.
However, other points raised by those interviewed include political stability, low taxes, free public services that ensure greater spending power when compared to Italy and, for business people, a simple bureaucratic regime.
Higher numbers reflected in church-goers
Monica Iorio spoke to the parish priest of St Catherine’s church in Valletta, which offers a service for the Italian community.
According to the parish priest, the growing influx of Italians has led to higher numbers of church-goers. Catechism lessons in Italian, especially over the past two years, have seen strong growth, with 63 children attending between 2013 and 2014, double the previous two years.
The parish priest also noted a higher number of couples undergoing marriage preparation courses. In 2014, 24 couples attended them, while the number of marriages between Maltese and Italians was on the rise.