Non-EU workers applying for a tourism skills pass to work in the hospitality sector are “not up to standard” and many fail the course, the head of the Institute of Tourism Studies said on Friday.
Pierre Fenech told a conference on tourism that the performance of non-EU workers at tests needed to obtain the sills cards was “shocking”.
“Some [candidates] pass phase one of the test but a large number fail phase two,” he said.
Fenech was referring to skills cards that cost non-EU workers applying for jobs within the tourism sector €474.
To obtain it, candidates need to enrol for a course. While the first part of the course consists of a hospitality online course, for the second part they have to sit for an in-person test.
“The candidates are not up to standard. If I were running a hotel or catering establishment, and one of these people applied to work for me, they would not last two minutes,” he continued.
“The situation after COVID was desperate and we needed more human resources, however, we cannot continue like this, especially if we want to attract high-quality tourists.”
When Times of Malta asked for more details about the applicants, Fenech said ITS would reveal the full figures in a press conference in the coming weeks
He clarified that applicants who were already working in Malta have already passed the first phase of the course.
Originally due to be launched in January, the introduction of the pass had been postponed to May over concern by the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association.
Are the questions in the course too difficult?'
On Friday, hoteliers and employers said the course might push away workers from a sector that needed them.
One employer said the questions were more adequate for management students rather than those applying for housekeeping and dishwashing jobs.
“These workers are in a state of panic. I feel sorry for them as they cannot answer the questions,” she said.
Fenech said the course was “simple” and students could answer questions after spending a couple of hours following the course.