|
Malta |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
SOGI was included to be a particular social group under the Procedural Standards for Granting and Withdrawing International Protection Regulation. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Malta |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Immigration Act was amended on the rules for appointing interim guardians for prohibited migrants who claim to be minors. The CEO of AWAS may again appoint a guardian. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Malta |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance |
The International Protection Appeals Tribunal now has a full-time chairperson and two or more members on a part-time basis, appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The International Protection Agency initiated a process to digitise all physical case files and transition towards an electronic filing system. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The International Protection Agency sampled cases for quality assurance. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Special procedures to assess protection needs |
A standard form was optimised to submit a subsequent application to further streamline the process. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2019 |
Institutional |
|
Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance |
A new chamber was created within the Refugee Appeals Board. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The International Protection Agency and AWAS signed a memorandum of understanding on the medical referral of applicants claiming to be survivors of FGM/C. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance |
The National Asylum Seekers Management System (NASMS) was improved to better communicate information on individual cases between the International Protection Agency and the International Protection Appeals Tribunal. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Minor Protection (Alternative Care) Act was amended in 2021 to avoid the potential conflict of interest that was embedded in the previous practice, when social workers and guardians belonged to the same institution. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The International Protection Agency’s interpreters are bound by a code of conduct to increase professionalism and performance since 2021. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance |
The Refugee Appeals Board changed its name to International Protection Appeals Tribunal. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Malta |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups |
The AWAS established the Therapeutic Services Unit (TSU) for migrants suffering from psychological disorders due to trauma, with a special team dedicated to children and unaccompanied minors. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The International Protection Agency adopted guidelines on the application of the recast Qualification Directive Articles 15(b) and 15(c) for applicants from Libya. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The International Protection Act was amended to clarify the criteria for exclusion from subsidiary protection, the criteria for considering an application manifestly unfounded, the subsequent application procedure, the application procedure for children in need of care and the procedure for temporary humanitarian protection (a national form of protection). |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Malta |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Special procedures to process asylum applications |
Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia were added to the list of safe countries of origin. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The International Protection Agency introduced regular and routine reflective meetings on the quality of asylum procedure, and set up the Quality Control Unit with EUAA support. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The Office of the Refugee Commissioner and the IT Unit of the Ministry for Home Affairs, National Security and Law Enforcement improved the national asylum database that records relevant data pertaining to applications for international protection, as well as for registering asylum seekers. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Access to procedure |
Several changes were made to practices to improve access to the asylum procedure, which included improvements to office premises, streamlining registration and lodging procedures, issuing updated registration guidelines, and providing information on specialised services to applicants with a sexual orientation or gender identity claim. Improvements to the electronic database were also made in order to further streamline registration and lodging procedures. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
The authorities focused on enforcing contracts signed with applicants for their accommodation to ensure that reception spaces are swiftly available. When appointments are not respected or when there are clear indications that the applicant abandoned the asylum procedure, the International Protection Agency considers the application implicitly withdrawn and informs AWAS, which terminates the reception contract. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The International Protection Agency (IPA) issued instructions that children between 2 and 10 years could not accompany their parents to the personal interview at the IPA’s premises. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
Criteria for the Specific Residence Authorisation (SRA) policy was modified. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Malta |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
The International Protection Act set in law the grounds and procedures for granting, excluding or revoking Temporary Humanitarian Status. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Malta |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The Office of the Refugee Commissioner started implementing changes to reporting on case allocation and backlog. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Special procedures to assess protection needs |
A new legal provision notes that only the International Protection Agency can designate a country as a safe country of origin, and it must be included in the Schedule to the International Protection Act. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |