200 new public employees a month in election year

Malta’s public-sector workforce grew by almost 200 employees a month in the year leading up to the May general election, newly published figures show.

National Statistics Office data show that public-sector employment increased from 54,065 in April 2025 to 56,318 in April 2026 -an increase of 2,253 workers, or 4.2%.

That amounts to a net average of 188 additional employees every month during the 12 months ending just weeks before Malta went to the polls on 30 May.

The figures do not show how many people the government recruited during the same period. They record the net change after resignations, retirements, expired contracts and other departures are taken into account. This means the actual number of recruits was likely much higher.

Statistics show that, in just two years, the number of full-time public-sector workers rose by 4,358 -from 51,960 in April 2024 to 56,318 in April 2026. That represents growth of approximately 8.4%.

It is already known that Malta has one of the largest public sectors in the EU relative to the size of its population.

Still, the government continues to increase the number of workers on the taxpayers’ payroll, as this normally translates into votes for the party in government.

Labour won the last general election with a margin of 20,000 votes over the PN.