S.L. 594.16 Art. 9Maintenance grants and wages.

(1) An apprentice under this scheme shall be entitled to a maintenance grant and a wage as follows:

(a) during the first year of the apprenticeship -

(i) a grant of €326.11 paid on a once-only basis to cover expenses related to the purchase of educational equipment,

(ii) a fixed maintenance grant of €93.17 per month made available during the academic year, and

(iii) a €232.94 per month, outside the academic year payable to apprentices participating in on-the-job training with an employer's establishment, approved by the Corporation;

(b) during the second year of the apprenticeship -

(i) apprentices attending full-time at the educational establishement shall be eligible to (a)(ii) and (iii) above; while

(ii) apprentices attending part-time at the educational establishment shall be eligible for the following -a maintenance grant of €93.17 per month for twelve months paid by the Government, and a wage of €2,608.90 per annum paid by the employer;

(c) during the Third Year of the apprenticeship -

(i) a maintenance grant of €93.17 per month for twelve months paid by the Government, and

(ii) a wage of €2,725.37 per annum paid by the employer;

(d) during the Fourth Year of the apprenticeship -a wage of €2,725.37 per annum paid by the employer.

(2) The wage payable by the employer shall be paid at regular intervals according to the practice of the establishment.

(3) From the year of apprenticeship that the apprentices become eligible to start their on-the job training, apprentices will be entitled to half the annual statutory bonus payable in accordance with article 23 of the Employment and Industrial Relations Act. The bonus is payable by the employer.

(4) Regulations 11, 12, 13 and 14 shall apply from the year of the apprenticeship that the apprentice shall become eligible to initiate the on-the-job training.

(5) Maintenance grants are paid to apprentices who -

(a) are Maltese citizens and with at least one parent being a Maltese citizen,

(b) have resided in Malta for a period of not less than five years from the date of commencement of the apprenticeship.

(6) (a) First year apprentices who are eligible to start their on-the-job training during the second year, shall not be entitled to the maintenance grant during the period outside the academic year, unless they attend for practical training at an establishment approved by the Corporation.

(b) The same principle as above applies to those second year apprentices who are eligible to start their on-the-job training during their third year of apprenticeship.

(7) Apprentices who absent themselves from the theoretical tuition at school shall have their maintenance grant deducted accordingly.

(8) Apprentices who absent themselves from practical training shall have their wage deducted by their employer accordingly.

(9) Apprentices who are required to repeat a year of the apprenticeship, shall not be entitled to the maintenance grant during the year that they repeat. However, they will be entitled to the wage issued by the employer provided they attend for practical training.