Hiring third-country nationals for hospitality roles — Skills Pass and permit timing

Identità’s 28 February 2026 notice says relevant tourism and hospitality applicants must present two separate certificates:

• The Pre-Departure Course Certificate — identified in the notice as replacing Phase 1.
• The Tourism & Hospitality Skills Pass Certificate — confirming full completion of the Skills Pass process. Identità says full certification is issued only after successful completion of both phases.

The official tourism website describes a sequence in which candidates complete the Pre-Departure Course before continuing to the tourism Skills Pass. Official employer guidance requires the applicable certificates before submitting the Single Permit application. Check excluded roles and individual exemptions: Identità lists Pre-Departure Course exemptions, and the Skills Pass FAQ describes temporary exemptions for valid Maltese work-permit holders.

The Pre-Departure Course is administered through the general Skills Pass portal at skillspass.org.mt and feeds into the Single Permit application. It is a two-phase process:

• Online learning and assessments: Identità gives candidates up to 42 days to complete Part 1. Separately, the tourism process page gives a 42-day Phase 1 window and offers a 14-day extension for €50. These pages do not establish that the tourism extension applies to Identità’s Part 1 window or specify registration as the start of either window.
• Pre-Departure interview: Identità and Home Affairs describe a 20-minute live online interview at ITS or an authorised assessment centre. The Skills Pass FAQ describes a 30-minute onsite Pre-Departure interview at VFS, and the Skills Pass process page describes physical attendance at VFS after passing Phase 1. Separately, tourism guidance describes an online interview at VFS or ITS. The official descriptions of interviews and phases differ; confirm the candidate’s instructions directly with Skills Pass.

The official pages cited on this page do not establish a typical or minimum end-to-end completion time. The 42-day allowance is a completion window, not a promise that certification takes six to eight weeks. This guide suggests allowing separately for interview arrangements, certificate issuance and any re-sits.

See the cost page for the published fee figures for both phases.

The official tourism Skills Pass process page describes candidate registration and the following steps after completing the Pre-Departure Course:

• Select the Tourism and Hospitality sector and complete the required customer care, Maltese tourism product and occupation assessments.
• Complete the online Phase 1 process within the stated 42-day window, or purchase the published extension if needed.
• Book and attend the Phase 2 skills verification interview using the instructions provided for the candidate.
• Receive the Certificate of Full Skills Pass Achievement after successful completion of both phases.

Online learning and assessments can be completed while abroad. This guide suggests allowing for the interview arrangements and possible re-sits when planning the hire. The official pages cited on this page do not establish compulsory employer initiation or sponsorship of portal registration.

This guide suggests discussing the required certificates early after a conditional job offer. Confirm the candidate’s category, role exclusions and exemptions, then follow the official sequence: Pre-Departure Course first, followed by the tourism Skills Pass.

Official employer guidance places the applicable certificate checks before the Single Permit application. The official pages cited on this page do not establish a six-to-eight-week minimum or a separate legal obligation to notify candidates at a particular hiring stage.

Official Skills Pass registration guidance describes information provided by the candidate:

• Personal and passport details — including a passport copy and passport expiry information.
• Contact details — including an email address which the official guidance says cannot be changed after registration.
• Category-dependent supporting documents — such as qualifications and any additional forms requested by the system.

The Skills Pass registration guidance does not establish a compulsory employer account, employer sponsorship, job offer or MTA licence number for this registration. For the Single Permit application, use Identità’s current instructions; this page does not provide a permit-document checklist. Official employer guidance does require checking the applicable certificates before applying.