Keep an eye out: ITS warns against Skills Pass scams

The Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) is warning the public against scams involving fraudulent assistance for the Skills Pass reported on social media.

“We have received reports of individuals on social media attempting to scam people offering assistance on the Skills Pass,” said a representative for the Institute. 

These imposters are providing incorrect information and attempting to deceive people, ITS shared in a statement.

The Skills Pass was introduced with the aim to assess workers’ level of English, knowledge about Malta’s tourism offering, customer care, and basic hospitality skills.

ITS highlighted that all official communications and updates about the programme are only disseminated through the official social media platforms of the institute.

“Any other sources claiming to provide official information are unauthorised and should be disregarded,” ITS continued.

To ensure the safety and accuracy of information received, individuals are encouraged to use Skills Pass’ official channels. These include the website, where one may use the chat system for easy communication, via email on [email protected], or by phone at +356 2379 3100.

About the Skills Pass

The Skills Pass was announced in October to address the skills shortage that exists among workers in the hospitality and tourism sectors across Malta and Gozo.

It officially came into force and became mandatory for Third Country Nationals (TCNs) as of 28th May.

The online course is delivered through AI instructors and carries a fee of €450. Upon completion of the online modules, TCNs are then required to participate in an online verification interview with an extra €125 skills pass fee.

Last month, ITS and Malta Enterprise jointly announced the introduction of Skills Pass Support. This new measure, to be given in the form of a tax credit, will provide up to a 50 per cent subsidy to employers who are committed to enhancing the workforce’s skill sets by obtaining the pass.