Gozo Employment Refund Scheme renewed

The Gozo Employment Refund Scheme, which provides employers a refund of up to €6,000 on salaries in a bid to incentivise job creation on the sister island, has been extended for another year.

Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri announced the extension of the scheme, which has been running since 2018, during a press conference, saying its intention, as defined in the yearly Budget, is to incentivise the creation of sustainable full-time jobs in Gozo.

Through the scheme, enterprises and companies based in Gozo that generate new jobs with a minimum contract duration of three years benefit from a refund on the salary up to a maximum of €6,000 over a period of three years.

Half of the reimbursement is received in the third year to assure long-term employment.

The Minister explained that the scheme works on an annual basis, and noted that over 400 applications were received over the last three years.

“We are announcing this a few days after the publication of official statistics that show that in Gozo, in June during a pandemic, there were only 136 persons registering for work.

“The reduction in the unemployment rate in Gozo to the lowest level in history is the result of the Government’s planning and hard work,” said the Minister.

Director for Tourism and Economic Development within the Ministry for Gozo Ronald Sultana said companies eligible to apply are those that had generated employment in Gozo since 1st January 2020, and where such employees are still engaged with the company without a termination period (on indefinite contracts).

Among the conditions of the scheme are that employees must be given a contract lasting a minimum amount of years, or on indefinite basis.

Minister Camilleri encouraged eligible Gozitan companies to apply so as to not lose the opportunity.

Applications are open to 31st December 2021.

For more information contact the Directorate for Tourism and Economic Development within the Ministry for Gozo, which administers the scheme, on this email, or by calling on 22100285.