Malta Announces Fees Foreigners Must Pay to Undergo Mandatory Course for Work Permit Visa
- Malta's government introduced a mandatory Pre-Departure Course for all non-EU nationals applying for a Single Permit for the first time
- The course, which opened for applications in January 2026, carries a fee that every first-time work permit applicant must pay before being considered eligible
- Identità, Malta's identity and immigration authority, began verifying the course certificates as part of the work permit process
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Malta has set a mandatory €250 fee for foreign nationals who must complete a Pre-Departure Course before qualifying for a first-time work permit in the country.
The requirement, introduced by Identità, Malta's official identity and immigration authority, applies to all Third-Country Nationals seeking a Single Permit for the first time.
Source: UGC
The €250 course fee covers the full Pre-Departure programme, which must be completed before an application can be processed.
What the €250 Course Covers
The Pre-Departure Course is structured in two parts. The first, which is compulsory for all applicants, consists of two online modules covering life in Malta and workplace rights and obligations.
Each module requires between 10 and 12 hours of learning. After completing the modules, candidates must attend a 20-minute live online interview to verify their English language ability and understanding of the course content. Applicants have up to 42 days to finish this stage.
A second part applies only to workers in certain sectors such as tourism and hospitality, where additional sector-specific assessments are required under separate legislation.
The entire course is completed through the Skills Pass Portal, followed by an in-person verification interview at a designated assessment centre anywhere in the world.
When the Requirement Took Effect
The Pre-Departure Portal opened on 5 January 2026, allowing applicants to begin the course from that date. From March 1, 2026, Identità began formally verifying Pre-Departure Course Certificates as part of the work permit review process, meaning any first-time Single Permit application submitted after that date must include a valid certificate to be considered.
Malta lists minimum salary for fast-track work permit
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Malta's Identità agency published the eligibility criteria for the Specialist Employee Initiative, a fast-track route to obtaining a Single Permit for non-EU workers.
The scheme requires third-country nationals to earn a specified minimum amount per year under a signed contract with a Maltese-registered company.
Source: Legit.ng
