Malta Pre-Departure Course timing: the differing 42-day window descriptions, interview booking, weekly certificate issuance, and planning before permit submission.
Direct answer
How long does the Malta Pre-Departure Course take?
You have up to 42 days to finish the online part. Then you book an interview, and certificates are issued weekly. No official page gives a total time from registration to certificate, so leave extra time and check the deadline on your account.
The official pages give no wait time for the interview and no delivery date for your certificate. The planning advice below is ours.
No official total time
No official page gives a total time from registration to certificate. Plan around three things: your course deadline, your interview booking and certificate issuance. Do not assume a 6 to 10 week minimum.
The 42 days: two descriptions
Identità and Home Affairs describe two online modules, each about 10 to 12 hours of learning with an assessment:
- “Living and Working in Malta”
- “Rights and Obligations in the Workplace”
They allow up to 42 days for Part 1, which includes the interview. The tourism Skills Pass process page gives 42 days for Phase 1 and a 14-day extension for €50. The Skills Pass FAQ also lists English and occupation online exams.
No page says when the clock starts, or that the extension applies to every Pre-Departure applicant. Ask Skills Pass for your deadline.
Booking the Phase 2 interview
You book after you pass Phase 1. Identità and Home Affairs describe a 20-minute live online interview at ITS Malta or an authorised Global Assessment Centre, and also mention an in-person check. The Skills Pass FAQ describes a 30-minute interview in person at a VFS centre. See the interview page.
No page gives a wait for the interview. The tourism process page says an assessor confirms your booked slot within a week, which is not the interview date. Check for slots as soon as Phase 1 is confirmed.
From Phase 2 to your certificate
You get your certificate after you pass Phase 1 and Phase 2. The Skills Pass FAQ says certificates are issued digitally every week. It gives no date for each person, so allow extra time after your interview.
Fitting this into your Single Permit
Identità started checking certificates on 1 March 2026 for covered new applicants and those still abroad. Some people are exempt. Identità says to get the required documents before you submit, to avoid delays. Agree a schedule with your employer, and leave time for the certificate to arrive before you submit.
Common questions
Can I start the course before my job offer is confirmed?
The Skills Pass How to Register page does not say whether you need a confirmed job offer first. Ask Skills Pass which applicant category applies to you before you pay. Identità's 28 February 2026 notice says to get the required documents before you submit a covered permit application.
Does the 42-day window start when I register or when I first log in?
No official page says. Identità and Home Affairs allow up to 42 days for Part 1. The tourism Skills Pass page gives 42 days for Phase 1, plus a 14-day extension for €50. Ask Skills Pass for the exact deadline on your account and whether you can buy the extension.
How far ahead do I need to book the Phase 2 interview?
You book after Phase 1 is confirmed. No official page gives a standard wait for the interview itself. The tourism process page says an assessor confirms your booked slot within a week, but that is not the interview date. Check for slots as soon as Phase 1 is confirmed.
What delays people most?
The official pages do not say. These steps help: activate your account within 24 hours, check your course deadline, finish the required assessments, and book your interview early. Starting early gives you room, but it does not guarantee there will be no delay.
Official sources for this page
These are the official pages this guide depends on. Open them directly before acting on a time-sensitive requirement.
- 01Identità (opens in a new tab)
Primary description of the Single Permit Pre-Departure Course requirement for non-EU nationals.
Source last checked:
- 02Identità (opens in a new tab)
Operational notice on verification of the Pre-Departure Course requirement from 1 March 2026.
Source last checked:
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