The Pre-Departure Course certificate, and what verification means from 1 March 2026

Two official Skills Pass sources name the certificate-issuing system differently:

• One Skills Pass page describes certificates as managed “through Hyland, the official document and credential management system”.
• The official FAQ instead says certificates “are issued digitally weekly through Blockcerts”.

This guide’s earlier verification record is dated 2026-06-14. The Skills Pass “Obtaining the Skills Pass” page names Hyland, while the Skills Pass FAQ names Blockcerts. The Tourism Skills Pass certification page describes the Blockcerts wallet flow. These pages do not explain how the two platform names relate, so this guide does not declare either wording obsolete. The Skills Pass FAQ separately identifies ITS as the issuer of both PDC and Skills Pass certificates. This guide recommends following your certificate delivery instructions and contacting Skills Pass if they are unclear.

Identità’s 28 February 2026 notice states that, from 1 March 2026, Pre-Departure Course certificates are formally verified in the work-permit application process for new and still-abroad third-country nationals. The notice also lists exemptions; see who needs the course.

Identità’s 28 February 2026 notice advises employers and applicants to obtain all required documentation before submitting applications to avoid unnecessary processing delays.

This guide recommends allowing time to complete the required course and receive its certificate before your planned application submission date.

The Skills Pass FAQ describes weekly digital issuance but does not specify an individual delivery deadline or how to correct a name mismatch. This guide recommends contacting Skills Pass about a missing or incorrect certificate, and contacting Identità if the issue affects your permit application. Identità’s 28 February 2026 notice identifies Skills Pass as the contact for Skills Pass-related queries.

For applicants covered by the requirement, the certificate supports the Single Permit application; it does not replace that application. Identità’s Single Permit application page says the employer submits the application, with an exception for live-in carers who may apply directly with employer endorsement.

Identità’s 28 February 2026 notice advises employers and applicants to obtain required documents before submission. Formal certificate verification applies from 1 March 2026. This guide recommends agreeing with your employer how to provide the certificate and following the official application checklist rather than assuming a particular download or upload procedure.

See how the Pre-Departure Course fits into your Single Permit application for a fuller picture of where the certificate sits in the wider process and what the published rollout timeline looks like.