Request 2.11 ALF IDRC ALF MALTA

1st article (environment)

3rd article
Sources:
⁃ https://asylumineurope.org/reports/country/malta/reception-conditions/

Employment and education
⁃ Access to the labour market
⁃ Access to education

The Agency for the Welfare of Asylum-Seekers (AWAS) oversees the reception system for asylum-seekers in Malta, managing reception centers and providing welfare services. The system follows a policy based on the 2015 Strategy for the Reception of Asylum-seekers and irregular migrants, which includes checks and assessments for boat arrivals before referral to detention or reception centers.

Malta's reception facilities include a large area in Ħal Far, an Initial Reception Center in Marsa, and apartments. However, access to formal employment remains challenging, particularly for asylum seekers from "safe" countries who are barred from regular employment for nine months. This policy has been criticized as discriminatory and inhumane by human rights organizations.
Asylum seekers can obtain employment licenses, but the process involves administrative hurdles and short-term permits, discouraging employers. Many asylum seekers, especially those from sub-Saharan Africa or Asia, face difficulties in securing stable employment, often resorting to irregular and exploitative work.

Access to education is provided for asylum-seeking children, similar to Maltese nationals, with a three-month postponement period for up to one year in special cases. The Ministry for Education and Employment established a Migrant Learners' Unit to assist migrant children's inclusion in the education system. However, language support for these children is inadequate.

Unaccompanied children face delays in accessing education due to administrative obstacles. Adult asylum seekers can apply for exemptions from fees at state educational institutions, vocational training courses, language lessons, and adult education classes.

While NGOs offer free language classes, these services are not provided within reception centers. Additionally, the government initiated the "I belong" Programme, offering language and cultural orientation courses for integration, which asylum-seekers can benefit from. Moreover, some NGOs offer specialized training courses, such as Gender Based Violence prevention and protection, primarily targeting women in open centers.