The government of Malta was ordered to pay €5,000 to a teenage asylum seeker for breaching his fundamental rights. Judge Giovanni Grixti ruled that Ayoubah Fona was unlawfully detained as a minor in poor conditions. Lawyer Neil Falzon from aditus foundation, together...
Amidst the uncertainty, education is an opportunity for refugees to thrive

Latest news
Standing together, with refugees
As 2025 draws to a close, we want to thank you for continuing to walk this journey with us, a journey alongside countless refugees and displaced families who long for safety, peace, and a place to belong. Unfortunately, just when the needs are greatest, devastating...
NGO response to the Joint Statement to the Conference of Ministers of Justice of the Council of Europe
We are deeply concerned at Malta’s statement urging the Council of Europe to explore how to restrict the fundamental human rights of migrants. Packaged as national security measures, the proposals will result in a dramatic lowering of human rights standards in over...
JRS issues call for Researcher
JRS Malta is launching a Call for a Service Contract for the provision of research studies into the lived experiences of asylum seekers and the legal and policy framework regulating access to healthcare for different categories of migrants. This task is part of the...
Run for JRS at the LifeStar Malta Marathon 2026
JRS Malta is teaming up with Jesuits & Friends to launch the latest in a series of our fundraising efforts. This time, we are calling on all running enthusiasts to join the Jesuits & Friends Team at the LifeStar Malta Marathon and help raise funds for JRS in...
JRS Malta report sheds light on The Human Cost of Legal Precarity and Labour Exploitation in Malta
A new JRS Malta report uncovers shocking levels of exploitation and mistreatment among migrant workers in Malta, including withholding of wages, firing people without due cause, violations of health and safety regulations, and numerous instances of bullying,...
Join us for ‘Under the Stars’ – A Night of Music, Food & Solidarity
On Friday, 12th September, we invite you to gather with us at St Aloysius College, B’Kara, for our annual fundraising celebration, Under the Stars. Doors open at 7pm. This year’s event is all about celebrating community – with live music, delicious food, and a raffle...
JRS Malta launches complaints procedure
We are here for you… At JRS we do our best to provide clients with a professional service focused on supporting clients’ needs. We do our utmost to help clients feel respected and supported, as we meet their needs. If however there has been a situation where you have...
Call for maternity leave cover: advocacy and administration
JRS Malta is seeking to recruit a Maternity Leave Cover – Advocacy & Administration to work with forced migrants and asylum seekers. The selected candidate will be offered a 6-month definite term full-time contract. As this post is a maternity leave cover, renewal...
JRS is seeking to recruit a Lawyer
JRS Malta is seeking to recruit a LAWYER, to work with asylum seekers and immigrants in Malta. The post is a full-time post, however applications from individuals wishing to work part-time or reduced hours will also be considered. Individuals who cannot work at least...
The last couple of years have seen a shift in the climate surrounding refugees and asylum seekers, locally and at a European level. At first glance, one can only describe the situation as bleak. This is due to a number of factors – firstly because it is becoming increasingly hard for asylum seekers to reach places of safety due to restrictions on search and rescue operations, Secondly, it’s because those that have found themselves in Malta often wait years for a final decision on their asylum case, as the statistics show, the rates of asylum application rejections are at an all-time high.
However, while these facts continue to be true, at the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) we witness the hope that educational opportunities can bring in these situations. These efforts by JRS are made more possible thanks to the support by entities such as Aġenzija Żgħażagħ and others.
Recently, Agenzija Żgħażagħ have provided support to JRS Malta through the INVEST Operational Grant. These grants allow the necessary support for proper education and mentoring. Whatever course one does, an extra element of support goes a long way for JRS to keep assisting asylum seekers in Malta.
At our offices in Sarria, JRS Malta holds weekly classes on English language and basic literacy. These classes are attended by a number of asylum seekers who are willing to learn and further improve their education.
Education is one of the fields in which JRS Malta staff provides assistance to asylum seekers, particularly in their journey to access education at every level.
As most are aware, the application process for many educational institutions can be quite tedious; add to this the fact that asylum seekers do not have e-IDs, nor do they have identification documents that are recognisable by most people, making accessibility to education even more difficult.
In Malta, much of an asylum seeker’s life is shrouded in uncertainty. They often feel stuck, unable to move forward until a decision has been made on their case or, having received a negative decision, they feel like they have wasted years of their life waiting for something that is no longer possible. It is within these seemingly hopeless situations that opportunities like the courses offered at post-secondary education institutions become crucial.
A course becomes more than just a qualification – it turns into a skill that they can carry with them for years to come and that can never be taken from them no matter what document they hold. It also becomes an opportunity to learn with and from other students, a foundation stone for integration.
Latest news stories
Child unlawfully detained by Malta gets €5,000 compensation
The government of Malta was ordered to pay €5,000 to a teenage asylum seeker for breaching his fundamental rights. Judge Giovanni Grixti ruled that Ayoubah Fona was unlawfully detained as a minor in poor conditions. Lawyer Neil Falzon from aditus foundation, together...
Standing together, with refugees
As 2025 draws to a close, we want to thank you for continuing to walk this journey with us, a journey alongside countless refugees and displaced families who long for safety, peace, and a place to belong. Unfortunately, just when the needs are greatest, devastating...
NGO response to the Joint Statement to the Conference of Ministers of Justice of the Council of Europe
We are deeply concerned at Malta’s statement urging the Council of Europe to explore how to restrict the fundamental human rights of migrants. Packaged as national security measures, the proposals will result in a dramatic lowering of human rights standards in over...
JRS issues call for Researcher
JRS Malta is launching a Call for a Service Contract for the provision of research studies into the lived experiences of asylum seekers and the legal and policy framework regulating access to healthcare for different categories of migrants. This task is part of the...
Run for JRS at the LifeStar Malta Marathon 2026
JRS Malta is teaming up with Jesuits & Friends to launch the latest in a series of our fundraising efforts. This time, we are calling on all running enthusiasts to join the Jesuits & Friends Team at the LifeStar Malta Marathon and help raise funds for JRS in...
JRS Malta report sheds light on The Human Cost of Legal Precarity and Labour Exploitation in Malta
A new JRS Malta report uncovers shocking levels of exploitation and mistreatment among migrant workers in Malta, including withholding of wages, firing people without due cause, violations of health and safety regulations, and numerous instances of bullying,...
Join us for ‘Under the Stars’ – A Night of Music, Food & Solidarity
On Friday, 12th September, we invite you to gather with us at St Aloysius College, B’Kara, for our annual fundraising celebration, Under the Stars. Doors open at 7pm. This year’s event is all about celebrating community – with live music, delicious food, and a raffle...
JRS Malta launches complaints procedure
We are here for you… At JRS we do our best to provide clients with a professional service focused on supporting clients’ needs. We do our utmost to help clients feel respected and supported, as we meet their needs. If however there has been a situation where you have...
Call for maternity leave cover: advocacy and administration
JRS Malta is seeking to recruit a Maternity Leave Cover – Advocacy & Administration to work with forced migrants and asylum seekers. The selected candidate will be offered a 6-month definite term full-time contract. As this post is a maternity leave cover, renewal...
JRS is seeking to recruit a Lawyer
JRS Malta is seeking to recruit a LAWYER, to work with asylum seekers and immigrants in Malta. The post is a full-time post, however applications from individuals wishing to work part-time or reduced hours will also be considered. Individuals who cannot work at least...
Child unlawfully detained by Malta gets €5,000 compensation
The government of Malta was ordered to pay €5,000 to a teenage asylum seeker for breaching his fundamental rights. Judge Giovanni Grixti ruled that Ayoubah Fona was unlawfully detained as a minor in...
Standing together, with refugees
As 2025 draws to a close, we want to thank you for continuing to walk this journey with us, a journey alongside countless refugees and displaced families who long for safety, peace, and a place to...
