VFS Global and the Government of Malta are broadening their collaboration beyond visa facilitation to include overseas citizen support, skills assessment, workforce development and international education. The expanded partnership builds on nearly two decades of cooperation and aligns with Malta’s efforts to strengthen consular services and address evolving labour market needs.
The Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) brings together Malta’s Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs (MFEA), Identità, the country’s identity management agency, and the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) under a wider framework of cooperation.
The declaration was signed on the sidelines of the 26th World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit in Malta by Christopher Cutajar for MFEA, Col. Edric Zahra for Identità, Pierre Fenech for ITS, and Zubin Karkaria, Founder and CEO of VFS Global. The signing took place in the presence of Gloria Guevara, President and CEO of WTTC, and senior Maltese government officials.
“Our partnership with the Government of Malta has evolved significantly since it began in 2008, and this MoU marks an important new chapter in that journey. The expansion of our collaboration into citizen services for Maltese nationals overseas and skills development across strategic sectors reflects the confidence placed in VFS Global as a trusted partner. We are proud to support Malta’s ambitions to strengthen global mobility, deepen engagement with its diaspora, and build a future-ready workforce.” — Zubin Karkaria, Founder and CEO, VFS Global
Extending services across sectors
The expanded framework will support collaboration on citizen and consular services for Maltese nationals living abroad, strengthening engagement with the country’s diaspora in coordination with MFEA.
Skills assessment services will also move beyond tourism and hospitality into other economic sectors. VFS Global’s existing collaboration with ITS, previously focused on facilitating interviews for these industries, will be broadened to support Malta’s wider workforce requirements.
Other areas of cooperation include facilitating access to skilled and verified workers and supporting initiatives to position Malta as a destination for international education.
A global visa services network
VFS Global has partnered with the Government of Malta since 2008 and currently delivers visa application services on its behalf in 73 countries through 155 dedicated Visa Application Centres worldwide.
The agreement follows discussions at the WTTC Global Summit on cross-border mobility and cooperation between governments and the travel industry. Karkaria serves on WTTC’s Executive Committee, while VFS Global maintains an ongoing association with the organisation.
VFS Global’s role in visa processing remains administrative, covering application and supporting-document collection and biometric enrolment. Decisions on visa approvals or refusals remain solely with the relevant Maltese authorities.
