Want a longer working permit? Study Maltese

Updated 4.49pm with PN statement

Non-Europeans who are already in Malta and are seeking a longer permit renewal can now attend a new course on Maltese culture and language.

The course is intended for third-country nationals who are already in Malta, as a pathway to encourage better integration of existing workers and local employers to invest in their workers rather than recruiting new ones.  

Applicants who enrol in the 40-hour course must attend classes and pass a final examination which will be coordinated by the government’s examinations department.

Those who pass the course will be eligible for longer working permits when they are up for renewal. Workers will only qualify for the extended renewed working permits if they have a job contract covering them for that extended period.  

Course contents have been prepared by the Home Affairs Ministry and the course will be offered by all licensed Maltese educational institutions.

The plan, unveiled by the Home Affairs Ministry in a statement on Friday, also promises the prospect of longer permit renewals to non-European workers who undertake significant training while in Malta. 

Those who complete such training - which can range from sitting for SEC examinations to undertaking various professional development courses - will also be eligible for renewed working permits with a longer validity.  

The measure forms part of the Malta Labour Migration Policy.

Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri said foreign nationals who come to Malta for work have "the obligation to adapt to us, and not the other way around". 

Knights, festi and the law

Students enrolled in the course will attend multiple two-hour classes during which they will be taught about the history of Malta, Maltese traditions such as village feasts and how Malta's democracy is structured.

Other lessons will focus on the Maltese sports scene, waste separation and etiquette in Malta, with separate modules focused on workers' rights and responsibilities, healthcare in Malta and personal development skills like how to write a CV. 

Language modules will focus on both English and Maltese. While English lessons will teach vocabulary and grammar focused on anything from everyday life to workplace interactions, Maltese lessons will teach learners the Maltese alphabet, basic reading, writing and speech and require them to show they can undertake basic social interactions in the language. 

A sample exam provided by the government, for instance, includes the multiple choice question:  "If a Maltese person says, 'Għandi l-ġuħ', the person needs: a) a glass of water; b) something to eat; c) a place to sleep, or d) directions to the bus stop.   

Details of extended permits

Workers employed in low-skilled roles who complete the course will be eligible for a longer, two-year permit when they apply for renewal, instead of a one-year permit.

Meanwhile, if the employment is considered higher-skilled, the two-year extension is granted on the basis of training. In specialised schemes such as the Key Employment Initiative (KEI), the Special Employment Initiative (SEI), and the Blue Card directive, renewals of up to three years are possible. A three-year renewal is also possible for someone who has obtained a higher-level skills card in tourism and has a three-year employment contract.

Licensed educational institutions wishing to offer this course must inform Jobsplus by sending an email to qa.jobsplus@gov.mt.

We suggested this in 2023 – PN

The Nationalist Party pointed out they had proposed this idea two and a half years ago.

In a statement on Friday, the PN said it “appears that the government is recognising that what the PN proposed a long time ago is necessary and should be the way forward”.

The Opposition added that the government is “aligning” itself with the PN’s initiative to address the issue of “uncontrolled” population growth by ensuring that foreign workers “truly possess the necessary skills for their employment to generate added value for the economy”.