Who We Are
HISTORY
The Office of the Refugee Commissioner began operating on the 18th June 2001, with the support of UNHCR. On the 1st January 2002, the Office of the Refugee Commissioner became fully operational and started to independently deal with applications for international protection. On the 7th August 2020, a change in law established the International Protection Agency, that replaced the Office of the Refugee Commissioner. The IPA is bound by the obligations assumed by Malta under international and EU legislation.
The IPA consists of various units that operate in synergy towards our main goal: the fair and efficient processing of applications for international protection in Malta. You can find out more about IPA’s units by clicking on the images below!
Procedures Unit
The protection officers in the Procedures Unit run the International Protection Agency’s front office, welcoming applicants, beneficiaries, and their representatives with queries on the asylum procedure or documentation renewal. We renew Asylum Seeker’s Documents and Protection Certificates, file initial applications, and issue decisions at the end of the asylum process. We also handle Temporary Protection applications and issue relevant documents.
Additionally, the Procedures Unit is responsible for registering and lodging applications at the IPA’s premises in Hamrun, Safi Barracks for detainees, Corradino Correctional Facility, and Mater Dei or Mt. Carmel Hospital when required due to medical conditions.
AMMR Unit
The AMMR Unit determines the EU+ country responsible for examining applications for international protection lodged in Malta or in another EU+ country, in accordance with the Asylum and Migration Management Regulation (AMMR).
It processes incoming requests from other EU+ countries concerning applicants who may be Malta’s responsibility and manages the transfer of these applicants to Malta. Conversely, it processes outgoing requests for applicants whose application falls under the responsibility of another EU+ country and facilitates their transfer from Malta to that country.
Additionally, the AMMR Unit may conduct personal interviews as part of this procedure and carries out tasks related to relocation, where applicable.
Protection Unit
The Agency’s Protection Unit conducts personal interviews and assessments for international protection applications, including special procedures like admissibility exams and protection status reviews.
Guided by the Agency’s objectives, the unit ensures fair and efficient examinations in line with legal obligations and quality standards. Protection Officers receive specialized training and ongoing guidance, enhancing their efficiency and versatility.
The unit values diverse experiences, with team members from Malta, Czechia, Greece, Italy, Romania, and Türkiye, striving for fair and efficient application examinations.
Flow Operations Unit
The Flow Operations Unit is responsible in the organization and implementation of the daily schedules. Its aim is that the daily schedules run smoothly and also work to create new work dynamics in order to achieve efficiency in the case processing system while upgrading the quality of work.
Data and Information Unit
The Data and Information Unit (DIU) is entrusted with identifying the data collection needs of the International Protection Agency (IPA) in collaboration with other Units within IPA, the Ministry and other entities with whom there are legal obligations for data provision, such as NSO. Additionally, the DIU performs data quality verifications to ensure that the data collected is as accurate as possibile. The DIU also issues statistics regularly which are shared with designated stakeholders and caters as well for statistics on ad-hoc basis.
Support & Corporate
This unit handles Human Resources, Procurement, Finance, EU co-financed projects, Inventory, and maintenance duties. The HR section issues recruitment calls, processes resignations, drafts staff contracts, and manages attendance and overtime requirements, providing support on HR matters.
The Procurement section manages the Agency’s procurement per Public Procurement Regulations. The Corporate Services section includes Finance, responsible for certifying invoices, recording expenses (such as security, police services, procurement, telephony, water, MITA), and applying and implementing EU co-financed projects.