Business First, the first stop shop for businesses in Malta, has opened its doors with the aim of facilitating the day to day operations of local enterprises while supporting their growth and successful operation.
Operated by Malta Enterprise at its new premises at the former Institute of Health Care within St Luke's Hospital in Pietà, Business First shall be providing over 50 different services currently being provided by various Government departments and entities, thus saving unnecessary running around for entrepreneurs who can thus focus more on running their business.
By providing authoritative information and assistance on the services offered under one roof, Business First shall be particularly useful for SMEs and even more so for start-up companies, which often have the extra burden due to their lack of familiarity with the business environment.
In addition, Business First shall also assist its clients register these formalities and apply for the services from one centralised location.
The services shall also be available to existing companies, irrispective of their size or sector in which they operate. Amongst others, these will be able to obtain information and guidance as well as apply for the vast range of schemes and support provided by Malta Enterprise.
To fulfill its commitments - which amongst others include a stipulated delivery timeframe which in most cases does not exceed 10 working days - Business First has entered into a number of service agreements with various departments and entities.
Amongst others, services related to employment, VAT, tax, utilities, VISA permits, licensing including several tourism-related licenses will be provided through Business First, with the full list being available on the dedicated website www.businessfirst.com.mt.
A helpline is also being set up on telephone number 144.