Renewing Your Work Permit in Malta

You would think that renewing your work permit at the Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) in Malta would be easier than applying for it the first time. But it's not. Here's what you need to know before you're sent home from the ETC office-as I was-to do the whole thing over.

1. If your work temporarily ends and there's a lapse between the end and the continuation of it-as it often is with EFL language schools-you must file a new application. Do not file an extension. You must start all over again with a new application. All the information will be exactly the same even though you've filled it all out the first time. The fact that the ETC already has it on file means nothing.

2. If your work permit is slated for a certain amount of time-say six months-and your employment is to continue immediately after the permit ends, you must file an Extension Application two months previous to your permit ending. The only difference in the application is, literally, the word "extension." Even though all the information is the same, you and your employer must fill out the forms, sign them and you must bring them in person to the ETC. Again.

3. Because all the information is the same every single time (except for the actual dates of employment), save the downloaded files on your computer to make life a little easier for you and your employer every time you have to get a new permit or renew a permit.

4. Before you even go to the ETC, remember that you have to get your ETC tax form filled out by your employer, and then you have to take it and get it stamped by the Commissioner of the Inland Revenue Department. For non-EU people, this is located in Block 5 in Floriana. It is not located in Block 4 where the rest of the Inland Revenue departments are located.

5. Before you go to any official office in Malta, call and see what the opening hours are. They change all the time and most of important offices are only open until noon.

6. Don't forget your checkbook! The cost now for applying for a new permit application has doubled to 150 Euros for a non-EU resident and to 80 Euros for when you come back and pick up the permit.

7. Try not to cry in front of the ETC officer like I did when I was sent home to redo all my applications because I had filled in the wrong one.

Good luck.

Ilene Springer lives in Malta and is author of An-American-in-Malta.com.