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Read the official Skills Pass guidanceOpens the official website

  • Tourism & Hospitality Skills Pass

    €230

    Includes the €5 booking fee. The same page also mentions paying €250 when you book Phase 2, so check the amount in your account before you pay. Fee sources checked: 2026-10-01.

  1. 1

    Phase 1 — online courses and tests

    42-day limit

  2. 2

    Phase 2 — verification interview

    About 30 minutes, online

  3. 3

    Two certificates issued

    Digital

Tourism & hospitality jobs · third-country nationals

An extra check Malta requires, on top of the Pre-Departure Course, if your job is in tourism or hospitality: online courses with tests, an interview, and two certificates.

Checked against
Skills Pass official pages
Last checked
Applies to
Tourism & hospitality

The course comes first

The Pre-Departure Course is a separate requirement: Identità describes it as mandatory for first-time Single Permit applicants, and the general Skills Pass FAQ as “Mandatory by Law”.

The Tourism & Hospitality Skills Pass sits on top of that — official materials describe it as required “in addition to any other certification required by the competent immigration authorities”. It is an additional, sector-specific layer, not a replacement.

The Pre-Departure Course, in full

Quick facts

  • Who it is for

    Third-country nationals (not EU, EEA or Swiss citizens) coming to work in Malta's tourism and hospitality jobs.

  • What it involves

    Two phases: online courses with tests, then an interview.

  • Time limit

    42 days for Phase 1. You can pay for more time if you need it.

  • Cost

    €230, including the €5 booking fee.

  • Where to register

    In your official Skills Pass account: app.skillspass.org.mt.

  • Not every job needs it

    Some jobs are excluded. The official list is not complete, so ask Skills Pass if you are unsure.

Two phases, in order

Book Phase 2 after Phase 1 is confirmed. Phase 2 asks about your job.

  1. 01

    Phase 1 — online courses and tests

    42-day limit

    Two online courses, “Basic Customer Care” and “Basic Maltese Tourism Product”, each with a test. You also choose your job from a list. You have 42 days to finish Phase 1.

    How registration works
  2. 02

    Phase 2 — verification interview

    About 30 minutes, online

    You may be asked to a 30-minute online interview about your job, in English. (Other official pages describe a 20-minute interview, or a short in-person one at a VFS centre.) Confirm the length and format with Skills Pass when you book.

    What each phase assesses
  3. 03

    Two certificates issued

    Digital

    You get two digital certificates: one for the Pre-Departure Course and one for the full Skills Pass. They arrive by email; follow the Skills Pass instructions to download them.

    About the certificates

What it costs

The Skills Pass costs €230, including the €5 booking fee. You pay for the Pre-Departure Course separately.

Tourism & Hospitality Skills Pass — fees (EUR)

  • Pre-Departure Course (paid separately)

    €250

    €245 course fee plus €5 booking fee (Identità)

  • Tourism & Hospitality Skills Pass

    €230

    Includes the €5 booking fee

  • Phase 2 interview

    Check your account

    One step says no extra payment; another paragraph says €250

  • Each re-sit after the first free one

    €100

    Per attempt

  • 14 more days for Phase 1

    €50

    If you run out of the 42 days

What the €230 covers

The €230 Skills Pass fee, including the €5 booking fee.

Before you pay

Budget €230 for the Skills Pass, plus the Pre-Departure Course. Check the amount in your official account before you pay. Pay only in your official Skills Pass account.

See the full cost breakdown for every fee and where it comes from.

Who needs it

You need the Skills Pass if you are a third-country national (not a citizen of an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland) and will work in Malta’s tourism or hospitality sector, or at any business with a Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) licence.

Some jobs are excluded, for example accounts, marketing, HR and store staff, cleaners and kitchen porters. The official list is not complete, so if your job is similar or you are not sure, ask Skills Pass before you register and pay.

See the excluded jobs, who needs the Skills Pass, or browse by job or country.

The certificates

The Institute of Tourism Studies issues the certificates digitally: a file for the Blockcerts Wallet app and a PDF you can download. (The general guide names a different delivery system, Hyland; follow the emails Skills Pass sends you.)

A certificate can expire if it has an end date, or be withdrawn. The official pages give no separate expiry rule for the Pre-Departure Course certificate.

Permit length: if you got your Skills Pass under the old system and renew after a year with no objections, you may get a two-year permit. If you raise your qualification level and get a higher-level Skills Pass, have a stable contract and still meet all the rules, you will be eligible for a three-year permit.

See the full certificate page.

Skills Pass vs. the course

Two different things. The difference decides what you pay and when.

Tourism & Hospitality Skills Pass vs. Pre-Departure Course

  • Legal status

    Skills Pass
    Required for some jobs
    Pre-Departure Course
    Required by law

  • Who

    Skills Pass
    Tourism & hospitality jobs or MTA-licensed businesses (some jobs excluded)
    Pre-Departure Course
    Third-country nationals applying for their first Single Permit

  • Cost

    Skills Pass
    €230
    Pre-Departure Course
    €250

  • When

    Skills Pass
    After, and on top of, the course
    Pre-Departure Course
    For the permit application

  • Certificate expiry

    Skills Pass
    Can expire or be withdrawn
    Pre-Departure Course
    Not stated

Common questions

Do I need the Skills Pass if my job isn't in tourism or hospitality?

Not necessarily — check your role before you pay. The sector site describes the Tourism & Hospitality Skills Pass as relevant to third-country nationals who plan to come to Malta to work in the tourism and hospitality industry, and the general Skills Pass FAQ also names work with an establishment that has an MTA licence, with exceptions for certain occupations. The separate Pre-Departure Course is described by Identità as mandatory for third-country nationals applying for a Single Permit for the first time. See who needs it for the detail, including the published list of excluded roles.

How much does the whole process cost?

This is an area where official figures still need care. The sector obtaining page's fee table lists the Pre-Departure Course at €245 and the Tourism and Hospitality Skills Pass at €230 including the €5 booking fee. Step 5 on that page says no additional payment is required for the Phase 2 interview, while an earlier paragraph on the same page says candidates book the Phase 2 interview and pay €250. The general obtaining guide lists €245 + €5, and Identità lists €250 for the Pre-Departure Course. We state these conflicts plainly on the cost page rather than inventing an explanation.

Is the Skills Pass the same thing as the Pre-Departure Course?

No — they're related but distinct. The general Skills Pass FAQ describes the Pre-Departure Course as "Mandatory by Law", and Identità describes it as mandatory for third-country nationals applying for a Single Permit for the first time. The Tourism & Hospitality Skills Pass is an additional, sector-specific verification needed "in addition to any other certification required by the competent immigration authorities" if your role is in tourism or hospitality. The sector homepage says only candidates who complete the Pre-Departure Course can continue to the Skills Pass — it is not a replacement.

What happens if I fail an assessment or the interview?

Official materials describe one free re-sit for failed exams, with further re-sits available for purchase at a stated €100 each. They don't, however, spell out a specific retake process for the Phase 2 interview itself — if that situation arises, ask Skills Pass directly rather than guessing at a process that isn't published.

How long do I have to finish the process?

The sector obtaining page says candidates have 42 days to complete the Phase 1 process, with 14-day extensions available for purchase (stated at €50) when it expires. It does not say when the 42 days start, so confirm that with Skills Pass. Build a buffer into your plans — the sector guidance has you book Phase 2 after Phase 1 is confirmed.

Which hospitality roles are excluded from the Skills Pass requirement?

The official FAQ publishes a list of excluded roles — naming accounts, marketing, HR and store employees, and cleaners and kitchen porters — and explicitly describes the list as non-exhaustive. That means other roles may also be outside scope. If your role is similar to one of those named, or you're otherwise unsure, confirm with Skills Pass directly before you register and pay. See the excluded-roles page for the full published list and what "non-exhaustive" means in practice.

How does occupation selection work in Phase 1, and what if mine isn't listed?

Phase 1 requires you to select a specific occupation from a published list — examples named in official materials include Luggage Porter, Receptionist, Bar Waiter, Commis Chef, and Commis de Rang. The occupation you select shapes the competency areas assessed in Phase 2, so it matters. If your occupation doesn't appear on the list, the page offers an "Other" option and says to contact Skills Pass (info@skillspass.org.mt) for guidance. Don't guess — ask.

What exactly happens in the Phase 2 video interview?

The sector obtaining page describes the Phase 2 interview as a 30-minute online interview with an assessor: true-or-false questions on what Phase 1 covered, and open-ended questions on your English conversation and your occupation. The sector FAQ describes an online face-to-face interview at the Institute of Tourism Studies or your nearest VFS centre. Identità describes a 20-minute live online interview under Part 1 (the Pre-Departure Integration Course), conducted at ITS Malta or an authorised assessment centre, and separately says sector-specific components form part of Phase 2 without giving a sector interview length. The general obtaining guide describes a short in-person interview at your closest VFS centre. The sector homepage adds that an interview may be required, either online or in Malta. These descriptions differ and we cannot reconcile them, so treat your own booking confirmation as the authoritative word on format, length and location.

Can I extend Phase 1 if I need more time?

Official materials describe paid extensions as available — stated at €50 for a 14-day extension — if you run out of the 42-day Phase 1 window. They don't describe a cap on how many extensions you can purchase or under what conditions. If you think you'll need more time, factor extension costs into your planning early and confirm current availability directly with Skills Pass rather than assuming extensions are always on offer.

Official sources

Every figure on this page comes from one of these official pages.

Start with the official portals

To register, pay, or check your own case, use the official sites, not this guide.

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