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The New Course on Maltese Language and Culture — where to take the I Belong prerequisite

I Belong's Stage 1 prerequisite since 15 June 2026: the New Course on Maltese Language and Culture. All 27 Jobsplus-approved providers, and what sources omit.

Direct answer

Where do I take the New Course on Maltese Language and Culture?

At one of the 27 providers Jobsplus has approved, per the list the Human Rights Directorate links directly from its own I Belong page. Since 15 June 2026 this course — not the discontinued Stage 1 Cultural Orientation — is the prerequisite for the I Belong 100-hour Cultural Orientation course, which is itself one of the requirements for Long-Term Residence status.

What this course is, and why it’s required

The Human Rights Directorate’s I Belong Programme page states:

“Prospective participants are encouraged to enrol in the New Course on Maltese Language and Culture developed under the Malta Labour Migration Policy framework. The updated list of delivering institutions can be accessed here. This course remains a requirement for participation in I Belong Cultural Orientation at 100-hours course.”

Read directly (via browser — this host returns HTTP 403 to automated fetches) on 2026-08-26. This is a prerequisite course, not the I Belong 100-hour Cultural Orientation course itself: completing it is what opens the door to applying for that course. See what replaced the old Stage 1 courses and how to apply once you hold the certificate.

Jobsplus-approved providers

The table below reproduces Jobsplus’s “List of Approved Providers updated on 15th June 2026” — the exact file the Directorate’s “here” link resolves to. It names 27 providers, with approval dates ranging from 6 April to 11 June 2026, so the date column shows how recently each provider was added to the list.

Approved providers — 15 June 2026 edition
Approval dateProvider
06/04/2026Avanza Training Academy
06/04/2026Cross College Malta
06/04/2026Directorate for Lifelong Learning and Employability (DLE)
06/04/2026ESSI Academy
06/04/2026European College of Innovation
06/04/2026European Tourism and Events Training Academy
06/04/2026Learning Works
06/04/2026MCAST
06/04/2026Melita Training and Resource Management
06/04/2026misco Business Academy
06/04/2026St. Bernard's Safety Training Institute
06/04/2026St. Paul's Institute
06/04/2026St. Thomas Institute
06/04/2026STC Training
06/04/2026Training Three Sixty
07/04/2026International Institute by Malta (IIBM)
09/04/2026La Vallette Institute for Further & Higher Education
09/04/2026MUV College (prev. MUV)
09/04/2026Uniplural Academy (prev. Apex Academy)
10/04/2026Malita International College
16/04/2026Ascencia Malta
23/04/2026Healthmark Academy
08/05/202621 Academy
08/05/2026GATEWAY Institute of Learning
08/05/2026Malta Leadership Institute
26/05/2026School of Business and Management (SBM)
11/06/2026The Computer Training Course (TCTC)
Read the official I Belong Programme pageThe Human Rights Directorate's own page — it links to the current edition of the approved-provider list under 'here'.humanrights.gov.mt(opens the official external website in a new tab)Read the official Jobsplus approved-provider list (PDF)The dated Jobsplus document this table reproduces. Edition-specific: re-check the Directorate's link above for a newer file before relying on this URL long-term.jobsplus.gov.mt(opens the official external website in a new tab)

What official sources do not say

As of 2026-08-26, neither the Human Rights Directorate page nor the Jobsplus approved-provider list publishes a fee, a duration, an MQF level, or an enrolment channel for this course. If you see any of those figures quoted on a provider’s own marketing page, treat it as that provider’s own claim, not a confirmed official figure — providers can differ, and none of this has been corroborated against an official source in this scout pass.

The chain — prerequisite to Long-Term Residence

The Directorate’s I Belong page also states: “Successful completion of I Belong Cultural Orientation at 100-hours is considered one of the requirements for Long-Term Residence Status (LTR) in Malta.” Put together, the chain is: this prerequisite certificate → the I Belong 100-hour Cultural Orientation course → one of the requirements for Long-Term Residence status. Budget for all three steps, not just this first one, if LTR is your goal.

Not an endorsement

This page reproduces Jobsplus’s dated approval list. It is not a ranking, a recommendation, or a guarantee that any given provider currently has places available, and approval on a given date is not a guarantee of current availability. Contact a provider directly to confirm intake dates, format and any other detail this page does not cover.

Frequently asked questions

01What is the New Course on Maltese Language and Culture?

It's the course the Human Rights Directorate now points prospective I Belong participants to as the prerequisite for Stage 1 Cultural Orientation. The Directorate's I Belong Programme page states: "Prospective participants are encouraged to enrol in the New Course on Maltese Language and Culture developed under the Malta Labour Migration Policy framework. […] This course remains a requirement for participation in I Belong Cultural Orientation at 100-hours course." It replaced the discontinued I Belong Stage 1 Cultural Orientation course after the programme's 15 June 2026 restructuring.

02Do I have to take it before I Belong Stage 2 / the 100-hour course?

Yes. The Directorate's own wording — "this course remains a requirement for participation in I Belong Cultural Orientation at 100-hours course" — makes it a prerequisite, not an optional add-on. Completing it is what opens the door to applying for the I Belong 100-hour Cultural Orientation course, which in turn is one of the requirements for Long-Term Residence status.

03Where can I take it?

At one of the 27 providers on Jobsplus's approved-provider list, current as of its 15 June 2026 edition — see the table on this page. The Directorate links to this list directly from its own I Belong page as "the updated list of delivering institutions."

04How much does it cost?

Neither the Human Rights Directorate's page nor the Jobsplus approved-provider list publishes a fee for this course, as of 2026-08-26. If a provider's own marketing page quotes a price, that figure has not been confirmed against an official source and should not be treated as fixed — ask the provider directly, and don't assume every approved provider charges the same amount.

05Does the provider list change?

Yes — it's a dated, versioned document, not a fixed register. The edition this page reproduces is stamped "updated on 15th June 2026" and replaced an earlier edition dated 10 April 2026. Providers can be added or removed between editions, so re-check the Directorate's "here" link for the current file before assuming this table is still accurate months from now.

Official sources for this page

These are the official pages this guide depends on. Open them directly before acting on a time-sensitive requirement.

  • 01
    Human Rights Directorate (opens in a new tab)

    Official I Belong Programme overview: the current programme structure (as restructured from 15 June 2026), eligibility, course content, and discontinued courses.

    Source last checked:

  • 02
    Jobsplus (opens in a new tab)

    Official, dated list of providers approved to deliver the New Course on Maltese Language and Culture — the prerequisite the Human Rights Directorate's I Belong page links to as its 'delivering institutions' list.

    Source last checked:

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