Malta's Pre-Departure Course for UAE-based applicants: interview arrangements and how the certificate fits the Single Permit.
Direct answer
What should UAE-based Pre-Departure Course applicants do first?
Start on the official portal and confirm your route before you register. Identità’s 28 February 2026 notice lists who is exempt from the Pre-Departure Course. The Skills Pass FAQ lists excluded roles. Follow the booking instructions you get for your interview.
Never send documents, login details or payment to this guide. The guides linked below cover the process and the interview.
About this guide
Living in the UAE does not by itself settle your Malta programme route. Identità's 28 February 2026 notice distinguishes application categories and exemptions; the Skills Pass FAQ lists role exclusions and temporary valid-permit exemptions. Our advice: confirm your route and interview location through the official process.
This guide explains Malta’s Single Permit Pre-Departure Course for UAE-based applicants from the UAE. Identità’s 28 February 2026 notice sets out the application categories and exemptions. Your country of origin alone does not decide whether you need the course.
What the Pre-Departure Course requires
Identità’s 28 February 2026 notice covers new applicants and those still abroad. It exempts current or former Single Permit holders, except first-time reapplications after leaving Schengen and Still Abroad applications. It also exempts third-country nationals who have lived in Malta for eight years or more.
You take the course on the official Skills Pass portal, in two parts:
- Online learning. Identità gives 42 days for Part 1, including its interview. The Tourism Skills Pass process page gives 42 days for Phase 1. The two cover different things.
- Interview. Identità and Home Affairs describe 20 minutes online at ITS or an authorised centre. The Skills Pass FAQ describes 30 minutes in person at VFS.
You get the certificate after you pass both parts. It goes with your Single Permit application.
Our advice: practise everyday workplace English before the interview. See how to prepare for the Phase 2 interview.
Where to sit the interview, from the UAE
Interview centres: the Skills Pass obtaining page names VFS. Identità’s Pre-Departure Course page names ITS Malta or an authorised Global Assessment Centre. Check the available locations on the official portal before you arrange travel.
Follow the interview confirmation you receive. If the centre or appointment details are unclear, ask Skills Pass before you travel.
Doing Phase 1 from the UAE
You can do the online learning from the UAE. The Skills Pass obtaining page describes Coursera lessons and online exams. You register and buy the course on the official portal.
Identità gives up to 42 days for Part 1. The Tourism Skills Pass process page gives 42 days for Phase 1. Neither says the 42 days start at registration. Ask Skills Pass to confirm your deadline.
Common questions
I live and work in Dubai but I am not an Emirati national. Does the Pre-Departure Course apply to me?
It depends on your category. Identità's 28 February 2026 notice covers new and still-abroad third-country applicants. It exempts current or former Single Permit holders, except first-time reapplications after leaving Schengen and Still Abroad applications, and people who have lived in Malta for eight years or more. Living in the UAE is not on the exemption list. Confirm your application category with Identità.
Can I do the Phase 2 interview in the UAE instead of travelling to Malta?
The pages do not say. The Tourism Skills Pass process page sends candidates who need a visa to their nearest VFS centre, and visa-exempt candidates to ITS Malta. It does not confirm a UAE location. Confirm the available centre in the official booking process before you arrange travel.
Can I do Phase 1 online while I keep working in the UAE?
Yes. The Skills Pass obtaining page describes online learning. Identità gives 42 days for Part 1, including the interview. The Tourism Skills Pass process page gives 42 days for Phase 1. Neither says the 42 days start at registration. Ask Skills Pass to confirm your deadline, and plan around your work.
Does my UAE work experience reduce the course requirement?
Identità's 28 February 2026 notice does not list work experience abroad as an exemption. It lists exemptions by application category and by permit or residence. Check those criteria. Do not assume UAE experience changes what you need.
We never collect official login details, documents, or payment data. Use this guide for context, then take action only on the official portal. Full citations are listed at the end of this page.
Read the official Identità Pre-Departure Course guidanceOpens the official website