CIR 04/26 | Construction Industry Skill Card Update
This circular serves as an update to Circular 01/2026 issued on 26th March 2026 concerning the purported requirement for periti to hold a register for a skill card.
Members will recall that on 24th March 2026 the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) was contacting periti via email indicating that they are legally required to possess a skill card to enter a construction site as from January 2027.
Circular CIR 01/2026 clarified that no such regulatory requirement exists since the regulations regarding the construction industry skills cards are still being finalised and have thus not been brought into force.
The National Building Council (NBC), composed of Kamra tal-Periti and Malta Development Association, requested an urgent meeting with the BCA to seek clarifications on the skill card scheme to ensure that there is broad consensus on the legal text and adequate time for the industry to prepare itself, particularly in view of the envisaged timeframes. The absence of published regulations was not only creating uncertainty, but making it challenging for compliant course curricula to be developed and accredited in time. Indeed, while the regulator’s intent is for the course to reach EQF Level 2, many courses claiming to be providing the necessary training for the attainment of the skill card have only achieved an EQF Level 1 accreditation.
The NBC met with the BCA on 7th May 2026 during which the above concerns were raised. In particular, the NBC emphasised that periti, whose training reaches a minimum of EQF Level 7, should not be subjected to the same regime as unskilled labourers.
The Council welcomes initiatives aimed at improving health and safety awareness and competence within the construction industry. However, the Perit profession is already regulated under a statutory warrant system, which requires advanced academic qualifications, supervised professional training, and compliance with a dedicated legal and regulatory framework.
Moroever, the new Periti Act envisages the introduction of mandatory continuous professional development governed by the Kamra tal-Periti. During the AGM of 2024, former council member Perit Dr Rebecca Dalli Gonzi had given a thorough presentation of the CPD framework the Kamra is working on, which will include health and safety and risk management as core subjects.
During the May meeting, BCA CEO Perit Roderick Bonnici agreed that periti should not be required to participate in any training courses to attain a skill card given that they are in possession of relevant academic and professional qualifications that exceed EQF Level 2, and that the draft regulations will reflect this.
The Council of the Kamra tal-Periti eagerly awaits being given a draft of the regulations when they are written to be able to also guide members of the profession on the status of non-warranted technical staff who undertake site-work.
