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Closing event of the project First Step: Online Pre-Departure Integration Measures (PDIMs) in Malta

Closing event of the project First Step: Online Pre-Departure Integration Measures (PDIMs) in Malta

The partners of the project “First Step: Online Pre-Departure Integration Measures (PDIMs) in Malta” presented the main findings of the project during the final event on 9 December 2024.

The project aimed to contribute to enhance integration governance in Malta, specifically through the design and development of a sustainable national system for Pre-Departure Integration Measures (PDIMs).

Over a period of 18 months the project was expected to set up a system of PDIMs to optimize the integration of migrants into Maltese society by enabling them to start integration pre departure and obtain important information on rights, obligations and opportunities in Malta. As such, the action was intended to contribute to ease the process of labour migration and provide the migrant population with critical information about Malta and help identify the skills and attitudes needed to successfully integrate. Therefore, the project aimed to enable migrants to fully use their competencies and skills, become an asset to the country, and prevent labour exploitation.

Malta is a country with a flourishing economy, which makes it an attractive destination for third country nationals, especially labour migrants, and where the inherent value of a two way integration process for the benefit of the society as a whole has been recognized.

Present partners included representatives from the Human Rights Directorate (HRD) and the Maltese Office of the Prime Minister - European Funds, Equality, Reforms and Social Dialogue (OPM-EES), from the Directorate General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM) of the European Commission as well as from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Jonathan Bartolo, Senior Manager from the OPM-EES on behalf of the Permanent Secretary for EU Funds, reiterated Malta’s commitment to integration which is beneficial to all. He emphasized the importance of whole country collaboration with regards to migration.

Judith Rózsa, Acting Director General shared how the Technical Support Instrument administered by DG REFORM has helped to create the first step in the process of implementing pre-departure integration measures for Malta which will be linked to existing efforts. She also referred to a wider European commitment to making migration sustainable and beneficial to all.

Alexander Tortell, Project Leader from the HRD, remarked the importance of accompanying the integration process since the very beginning and highlighted that the closure of this project marks the beginning of new efforts for integration improvement in Malta as part of the second National Integration Strategy.

Márton Juhász, Policy Assistant, from DG REFORM, praised the positive cooperation throughout the implementation, and the commitment of Maltese authorities to make this a meaningful process.

Laurence Hart, IOM Director of the Coordination office for the Mediterranean, emphasized the role of regular pathways and digital innovation in ensuring that labour migrants are prepared, informed, and empowered as they embark on their journeys and underlined the crucial role that pre-departure integration measures have laying the groundwork for meaningful inclusion and mutual understanding.

The project contributed to strengthening the capacity to develop, adapt and implement processes and policy related to sustainable integration of third country nationals in Malta.

This project is funded by the European Union, via the Technical Support Instrument, and implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in cooperation with the Human Rights Directorate (HRD) and the Directorate General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM).

Please find the presentation in this link.

 

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