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How the Tourism & Hospitality Skills Pass works — the full process

A plain-language walkthrough of every stage of the Tourism & Hospitality Skills Pass: registration, Phase 1 online courses and assessments, Phase 2 interview, and certificates.

Direct answer

What are Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Malta Skill Pass?

Phase 1 is the online part: customer-care and tourism-product learning, assessments, and occupation selection inside the published 42-day window. Phase 2 is the live interview that checks English and occupation-specific competency before certificates are issued.

The official account and booking screens are the authority for your exact timing, interview format, and any payment shown at each step.

Step 1 — create your account on the official portal

Everything happens through the official tourism Skills Pass portal at tourism.skillspass.org.mt. You create a single account that covers both the Pre-Departure Course and the Tourism & Hospitality Skills Pass tracks. Official materials describe the registration form as collecting personal details, passport information, and contact details. See the registration page for the full list of what the portal needs and how to avoid common delays.

Step 2 — Phase 1: online courses and assessments (42-day window)

Once registered, you enter a 42-day online window during which you complete three things:

  1. Basic Customer Care course — covering foundational service skills — followed by its assessment.
  2. Basic Maltese Tourism Product course — covering baseline knowledge of Malta’s tourism offering — followed by its assessment.
  3. Occupation selection — choosing from the published list (Luggage Porter, Receptionist, Bar Waiter, Commis Chef, Commis de Rang) the role that matches yours.

Passing each assessment is required to advance. If you fail an assessment, official materials describe one free re-sit, with further re-sits at €100 each. A 14-day time extension is available for purchase at €50 if the 42-day window is not enough.

Step 3 — Phase 2: the live interview

After Phase 1 is confirmed complete, you book a Phase 2 interview. Official materials describe this as a roughly 30-minute video-conferencing session using true/false and open-ended questions that assess both your English-language proficiency and your occupation-specific competency in the role you selected. Some official descriptions also mention attending VFS Global, ITS Malta, or authorised assessment centres for this session — your booking confirmation will be the definitive word on format and location.

Step 4 — your certificates, issued through Blockcerts

Passing Phase 2 produces two separate digital certificates, issued through the Blockcerts platform:

  • A Pre-Departure Course Certificate
  • A Certificate of Full Skillspass Achievement (sector and occupation-specific)

These are blockchain-verified credentials that your employer can validate through the QR code on the certificate. See the certificate page for full details on format, validity, and what to do if you change occupation.

Frequently asked questions

01Do I need to be in Malta to complete the Skills Pass?

Phase 1 (online courses and assessments) can be completed from anywhere with an internet connection. Phase 2 wording varies: official materials describe video conferencing, ITS Malta or authorised centres, and VFS centres in different places. Your booking confirmation is the authoritative word on location and format.

02Is the Skills Pass only for TCN workers?

Official materials describe the requirement as applying to workers in relevant tourism and hospitality roles, not exclusively to Third Country Nationals. Maltese and EU/EEA workers in covered roles may also need to be certified. The specific exemptions are listed at the official portal — check there if your situation is borderline.

03Can I do the Pre-Departure Course and the Skills Pass at the same time?

Yes — both run through the same Skills Pass portal and share the same 42-day Phase 1 window. Official materials describe them as separate tracks within the same platform. TCN workers who need both can work through them simultaneously rather than completing one first.

04How do I know which occupation to select in Phase 1?

The published occupation list includes: Luggage Porter, Receptionist, Bar Waiter, Commis Chef, and Commis de Rang. If your actual role does not match any of these, official materials direct you to contact Skills Pass support before selecting — rather than choosing the closest match and hoping it works.

Official sources for this page

These are the official pages this guide depends on. Open them directly before acting on a time-sensitive requirement.

Related guides

Continue through the same official-source trail without switching to a portal.

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