Cap. 538 Art. 6Application form for warrant.

(1) Any person seeking to obtain a warrant to practise the counselling profession in Malta shall obtain an application form for the warrant from the Council and submit such application in the registered office of the Council.

(2) If the Council is satisfied that the applicant qualifies for a warrant under this Act, it shall issue that warrant.

(3) Where following the period indicated in article 3(4)(b), the Council is satisfied that the applicant qualifies for a full warrant, the Council shall issue that warrant.

(4) For the purpose of establishing whether an applicant qualifies for a warrant as mentioned in the foregoing sub-article, the Council may submit the applicant to undergo a skill test under the provisions of this Act.

(5) The Council may attach such limitations and conditions as it deems fit to any warrant it issues under this Act. A warrant for counselling with specialisation shall indicate the specific area in which the holder of the warrant may practise and may include such special conditions for specific periods in accordance with recommendations made by the Council according to the provisions of this Act and any regulations made thereunder.

(6) In the consideration of an application by a holder of a full warrant for the practice of the counselling profession in a specific area of counselling, the Council may submit the holder of such warrant, in addition to the submission of such qualifications as may be prescribed, to such further training or to an adaptation period as may be required by the Council.

(7) A warrant issued under this Act shall continue to have effect provided that the holder of a warrant, when requested by the Council, shall prove to the Council that he satisfies such criteria as established by the Council from time to time: Provided that when the holder of a warrant fails to provide such proof, his warrant shall be deemed to be suspended unless the holder thereof proves to the Council that he meets such criteria that may be prescribed by the Council.

(8) Every counselling supervisor registered by the Council shall be granted a licence for five years, which licence may be extended for further periods of three years, or revoked, as the case may be.

(9) Every person who is granted a warrant by the Council to practise the counselling profession shall display in a prominent position such warrant in the place where he practises as a Counsellor and shall keep on him his identity card issued by the Council which shall indicate that he may practise as a counsellor whilst exercising the counselling profession. This sub-article also applies to any person that is registered by the Council as a counselling supervisor, as well as to the members of associations of counsellors registered by the Council.

(10) No person, except those persons given a warrant under this Act, may use the word "Counsellor" or "Counselling": Provided that a person holding an official capacity in diplomacy may use the word "Counsellor" but not "Counselling", and any person holding a warrant of professional psychologists issued by the Malta Psychology Profession Board may use the word "Counselling" but not "Counsellor".