In line with Malta’s Tourism Strategy 2021-2030: Recover, Rethink, Revitalise, a reform was born whose objectives will be to immediately address the lack of skills that exist among foreign workers who work in hospitality and tourism in Malta.
From January of next year, foreign persons from third countries, both those who need a visa and even those exempted from it, need to follow a number of training and assessments which includes a mandatory course in English which includes the hospitality sector, a course about the tourist product in Malta, and a course on how to serve a client in a basic way and other skills based on the line that the person has chosen such as: bar, front office, restaurant or kitchen. An individual assessment will be made for each course.
This course accredited by the Institute for Tourist Studies and the necessary assessment must be done in their country of origin online and the certificate issued by ITS will be used in their visa application. Those who go through all the stages including the necessary verifications established by Identity and come to Malta, must be re-submitted to another examination in Malta to be examined in practice by the ITS.
In the absence of compliance with these quality standards, the Identity agency will not be issuing work permits to foreign workers. From October of next year, those foreign workers who already work in tourism locally must also sit for courses and exams in which they will be assessed on their skills as will be done for those who wish to come to our country and work in the said industry.
In case a foreign worker who is already working here does not pass, the work permit will not be renewed. From January 2025, foreign workers coming from the European Union as well as Maltese will also be part of this important exercise in order to recognize their skills in the tourism industry. The ultimate goal will be to introduce a skills card for everyone who works in the hospitality and tourism industry.
This reform will be led by the Institute for Tourist Studies through the ITS Training School in joint work with Identità and the Maltese Tourism Authority. These details were announced in a news conference addressed by the Minister for Tourism Clayton Bartolo and the Minister for the Interior, Security, Reforms and Equality Byron Camilleri.
The Minister for Tourism Clayton Bartolo pointed out how this is a necessary reform that will be spread over a period of years. “This is the first tangible step built on continuous education and effective training through which we begin to see a higher quality service offered to Maltese, Gozitians and even tourists”, continued Minister Clayton Bartolo. He added that this reform is the first step in a series through which we offer a product of excellence at every level of the Maltese hospitality industry.
Minister Byron Camilleri said that there is a commitment to continue to fight any kind of abuse and this through various measures and inspections, while this measure will ensure that in this sector they are only invited to Malta quality workers.
“Through the condition of the skill cards announced today, we are establishing quality standards that lead to requirements without which the residence permit cannot be issued, by the Identity Agency. This reform and line of thinking should be extended in other sectors of our country’s economy in order to continuously demand quality”, concluded Minister Camilleri.
