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'Malta''s new Pre-Departure Course for work permits: what it actually adds
Finished your English course and want to work in Malta? The Pre-Departure Course adds €250, a 42-day window and an English interview before your permit.
If you have just finished an English course in Malta and you are thinking about staying to work, there is a new step you need to plan for. Since 1 March 2026, most people applying for a first-time Single Permit (Malta’s combined work-and-residence permit) must complete a mandatory Pre-Departure Course before the permit can be issued. That means two online modules, a 42-day window to finish them, a €250 fee, and a live 20-minute English interview. This guide explains what the course actually involves, who is exempt, and how it stacks with the higher Single Permit fee to change the real cost and timing of the “study, then work” plan.
One thing to say clearly at the start: whether a student switching from a study permit to a work permit counts as a “first-time” applicant — and therefore has to sit the course — is not officially confirmed. We flag that below and tell you exactly what to ask. If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, none of this applies to you: you do not need a Single Permit or the course at all.
Key facts
- The Pre-Departure Course is mandatory for first-time Single Permit applicants who are Third-Country Nationals, verified by Identità from 1 March 2026.
- Two online modules — “Living and Working in Malta” and “Rights and Obligations at the Workplace” — roughly 10–12 hours each, delivered through the Skills Pass Portal.
- 42 days to complete both modules, then a live 20-minute interview checking your English and understanding of the course.
- €250 course fee.
- €600 first-time Single Permit fee (up from €300 since 1 August 2025). Renewals fell to €150.
- Exempt: EU/EEA/Swiss citizens, anyone who holds or has held a Single Permit, existing Skills Pass holders, EU Blue Card and Intra-Company Transfer applicants, and people resident in Malta for 8+ years.
The short answer: you probably need it
If you are a Third-Country National (that is, not an EU/EEA or Swiss citizen) applying for your first Single Permit, you should assume the Pre-Departure Course applies to you. From 1 March 2026, Identità only processes first-time Single Permit applications from Third-Country Nationals who hold a valid Pre-Departure Course Certificate. The portal you use, called Skills Pass, opened on 5 January 2026.
The exemptions are specific (see below), and “I just finished an English course” is not clearly on the exempt list. So the safe planning assumption is that you will need to complete the course — budget the money and the time for it, and confirm your exact case with Identità before you commit.
What the course actually involves
The course has two online modules delivered through the Skills Pass Portal: “Living and Working in Malta” and “Rights and Obligations at the Workplace”. Each takes roughly 10–12 hours and mixes videos, reading and assignments, with an assessment at the end of each module. You have 42 days to complete both. You can revisit the material before your final interview.
After the modules, there is a mandatory 20-minute live interview. It is held at ITS Malta or an authorised Global Assessment Centre — many of these are hosted at VFS Global sites around the world. The interview checks your English proficiency and that you understood the course. If English is your reason for being in Malta in the first place, this part should not worry you, but it is a real step you have to pass, not a formality.
The real cost: €250 course plus €600 permit
The course itself costs €250 (this includes a €5 interview-booking fee for candidates who do not need the sector-specific Skills Pass). But the course does not sit alone. Separately, the Single Permit application fee for first-time applicants doubled to €600 from €300 on 1 August 2025. Renewals moved the other way, dropping from €300 to €150.
So the “finish my course, then work” plan now carries roughly €850 in government fees before you count anything else — the €250 course plus the €600 first-time permit. That is the number worth fixing in your head early, because it is new since 2026 and most existing guides do not put the two figures together.
| Item | Fee | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Departure Course | €250 | First-time Single Permit applicants (TCNs), from 1 March 2026 |
| Single Permit (first-time) | €600 | First-time applicants or those changing employer, since 1 August 2025 |
| Single Permit (renewal) | €150 | Renewals with no change, since 1 August 2025 |
| Rough total to start | ~€850 | Course plus first-time permit |
The grey area: does finishing a student permit count as “first-time”?
This is the question the official guidance does not answer. Whether someone switching from a student residence permit to a Single Permit is treated as a “first-time” applicant — and therefore must sit the course — is not officially confirmed anywhere. [VERIFY] One immigration source suggests the industry expectation is that the exemption “may extend” to people switching from a non-employment status, but recommends confirming case-by-case with Identità. No government source states this directly.
You may also see one fee-comparison site listing “students” as exempt from the Pre-Departure Course. That claim is not corroborated by homeaffairs.gov.mt, identita.gov.mt, or any of the immigration-law firms we checked, all of which give a narrower list. [VERIFY] Do not rely on the “students are exempt” claim. Before you assume either way, email or call Identità with your exact situation — your current permit type, your course end date, and the job you are applying for — and get their answer in writing.
Who is actually exempt
The confirmed exemptions are: Maltese nationals; EU, EEA and Swiss citizens; Third-Country Nationals who already hold or have held a Single Permit (including those changing employer or sector); existing Skills Pass holders; EU Blue Card and Intra-Company Transfer applicants; and Third-Country Nationals who have been resident in Malta for 8 years or more.
Read that list carefully and you will see why most course-leavers are not on it. If this is your first Maltese work permit, none of those categories fits a student who has only been in Malta for a language course. That is the core reason the safe assumption is that the course applies to you.
Timeline: work backwards from your course end date
The 42-day window is generous, but only if you start it at the right time. Think of it in order: you find an employer and a role, your employer begins the Single Permit application, you complete the two modules within 42 days, you sit and pass the 20-minute interview, and only then can the permit be issued. Each step has to happen before the next.
The practical risk is stranding yourself between your student status ending and your work permit being issued. If your course finishes and you have not yet started the course or lined up an employer, the clock and your legal status can work against you. Plan the work-permit path before your course ends, not after, so the 42 days and the interview slot fit inside the time you are lawfully in Malta. Our guides to working while you study and the long-stay study visa explain the status you are switching from.
How this differs from the Nomad Residence Permit
The Pre-Departure Course is tied to the Single Permit — local employment with a Maltese employer. It does not touch the Nomad Residence Permit route, which is for people working remotely for employers or clients outside Malta. If your plan is to keep a job or freelance clients abroad and simply live in Malta, that is a different permit with different rules, and the Pre-Departure Course is not part of it. Note too that since 1 October 2025, people on a tourist visa can no longer convert to a Single Permit while inside Malta — they must leave and apply from abroad. That is a separate rule from the course, but it points the same way: in-country conversions are getting harder. For a broader look at staying on to work, see our Japan Working Holiday visa guide, and note the I Belong integration course is a different, later requirement — do not confuse the two.
One more check before you apply
Alongside the course, a Jobsplus “Suitability Check” now applies to all applicants. It looks at your Pre-Departure or Skills Pass certificate, any regulatory approval where the role is regulated, recognition of your qualifications where needed, and a suitability declaration from your employer. Your employer handles most of this, but it is worth knowing it exists so nothing surprises you late in the process.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need the Pre-Departure Course if I'm already in Malta on a student permit?
Probably, but it is not officially confirmed. Whether switching from a student residence permit to a first-time Single Permit counts as a "first-time" application — and so requires the course — is not stated by any government source. [VERIFY] The safe assumption is that you will need it. Contact Identità with your exact permit type, course end date and the role you are applying for, and get their answer in writing before you commit money or time.
How much does it cost in total to switch from studying English to working in Malta?
In government fees, roughly €850: the €250 Pre-Departure Course plus the €600 first-time Single Permit fee that has applied since 1 August 2025. That figure is only the official fees for the course and the permit; it does not include your living costs, travel to an interview centre, or any employer or agency charges. Renewals of the permit later cost €150, not €600.
What happens if I fail the Pre-Departure Course interview?
The 20-minute interview checks your English and your understanding of the two modules, and it is a required step before the permit is issued. The official sources we rely on do not set out a published re-sit or appeal procedure. [VERIFY] If you are unsure of your readiness, revisit the modules before booking the interview — you are allowed to review the material first — and confirm the re-sit rules with the assessment centre when you book.
Is the Pre-Departure Course the same thing as the Skills Pass?
Not quite. The Skills Pass is a broader, sector-specific certification used mainly for tourism and hospitality roles. The Pre-Departure Course is delivered through the same Skills Pass Portal and is the general requirement for first-time Single Permit applicants. If you already hold a valid Skills Pass, you are exempt from the Pre-Departure Course. ---