Employment Promotion Measures

Formation and set-up of the Jobs committee and allocation of €8.3 million for the running of the Employment Training Corporation (ETC).
Investment of €3.8 million to offer free child care centre services for employed parents or single parents who are employed.
New service whereby parents may leave their children at school prior to the usual school time and simultaneously the children are provided with an adequate breakfast. This incentive supports parents who have to report early for work.
Current income tax rebate of €1,300 for the payment of child care facility by working parents, will be increased to €2,000.
As from January 2014, married women who are of over 40 years and decide to work and earn income lower than the minimum wage would permit their working spouse (husband) to benefit from the married rates of tax. At the same time, the income earned by the women would be ignored for the purpose of the tax computation. This benefit will be valid for five years.
A guarantee to school-leaving youths with individual attention to integrate themselves in the working community. It is expected that 350 youths will benefit from this scheme with a payment of €1,440 for each individual.
A scheme amounting to €350,000 as a work placement for apprentists. This will be complemented with a tax deduction of €600 for every work placement and €1,200 for every apprentice.
Work and Training Exposure Scheme for Gozitan individuals and renewal of the Employment Aid Programme.
€300,000 allocated for the Youth Entrepreneurship Scheme as announced during the Budget 2013.
Employment and training for unemployed individuals aged between 45 and 65 years by granting a deduction of €5,800. Companies employing the latter’s kind of individuals will be granted a reduction in income tax up to 50% of the training expenditure undertaken up to a maximum of €400.
Incentive for those individuals who have been unemployed for two years and would like to return to work. The unemployment benefits for these individuals would be reduced gradually by lowering the unemployment benefit as follows:
65% of the benefit for the first year.
45% of the benefit for the second year.
25% of the benefit for the third year.
The employer would be granted 25% of the unemployment benefit for every year, up to three years.
Single parents currently on social benefits, would be given a credit between €200 and €1,000 when these undertake an intensive vocational training programme or full-time educational course.