On Monday (tomorrow) Finance and Employment Minister Clyde Caruana will be delivering his first-ever Budget speech in Parliament.

An economist by training, he was appointed to the position in November 2020 under the leadership of Prime Minister Robert Abela. At the time, he was just 35 years old.

Minister Caruana has enjoyed a fruitful career, having held the position of executive chairman at the state employment agency, JobsPlus, from 2014 and 2018. He is credited with being instrumental in the drafting of former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s national employment policy when he formed part of Active Labour Market Policy Counselling and Action Committee between May 2013 and April 2014.

Indeed, Minister Caruana is credited as the main driver to implement Dr Muscat’s labour policies and reforms, most notably related to free childcare, In-work benefits and others.

As the nation’s current Employment Minister, he launched a revamped national employment policy just earlier this week.

During his tenure at Jobsplus as Chairperson (January 2019 - October 2020), just before he was appointed to Prime minister Abela’s Cabinet, he authored several position documents and policy papers, which have been central to the Government’s labour force policy.

Prior to these roles, Minister Caruana worked at the National Statistics Office (August 2007 - September 2012). He also lectures in Economics, at the Faculty of Economics, Management and Accountancy at the University of Malta.

Minister Caruana has written papers and articles on the welfare state and the labour market, as well as related research and consultancy work.