Tourism and hospitality employers can apply for a 'subsidy' that covers up to 50% of the fee linked to the Skills Pass card for non-EU workers. 

Non-EU workers in hotels, bars, and restaurants need a skills card costing €475 to work in the tourism sector. As of this month, the Skills Pass is mandatory.

The 'subsidy' scheme, called Skills Pass Support, was launched on Tuesday through a collaboration between Malta Enterprise and the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS).

The initiative is meant to make the Skills Pass more accessible to existing employees in the high-demand industry.

The 'subsidy' will take the form of a tax credit for employers who apply for the card on behalf of their non-EU workers.

“By covering part of the financial obligation associated with the Skills Pass, this scheme seeks to foster a more competent and competitive workforce, ultimately contributing to the overall growth, sustainability and quality of this key local industry,” Malta Enterprise and ITS said in a statement. 

ITS and Malta Enterprise will host an information session about the scheme on June 4 at 10am.

The session will provide insights into the application process, eligibility criteria and benefits of the scheme.

Business owners and managers interested in attending the webinar can register by June 3.

The pass, which was originally due for introduction in January, was postponed following concern by the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association.

MHRA had said there was too little time for the industry to comply with the requirements.

Meanwhile, according to a survey by the Gozo Tourism Association, two-thirds of Gozitan employers said they were not prepared to fork out the costs for the skills card. 

Non-EU workers seeking jobs in the tourism and hospitality industry can apply for the mandatory online course in English language proficiency, customer care, hospitality and what Malta offers tourists. 

It will be taught by two artificial intelligence personas called 'Ryan' and 'Clara' and will be needed for work in hotels, bars, restaurants, kitchen staff, housekeeping and front office posts.

Candidates will also need to be approved by Jobsplus and the police before receiving a one-year work permit.

By January 2025, any tourism and hospitality workers already working in Malta, and who want to renew their work permit will also need to apply for a skills pass.

The scheme will then be rolled out to all EU and Maltese workers in the tourism and hospitality industry from January 2026.