What you need to know for employing in Malta

Employee contributions include Social Security.

Standard working hours in Malta are 40 hours per week.

Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) may regulate increased weekly hour periods and overtime.

Conventionally, there is no overtime pay for managers.

Sick leave varies by sector in Malta.

Under our LSP's contracts, sick leave is 20 days with full salary, and 20 days with half salary. Unregulated roles include 2 weeks per annum of sick leave.

In Malta, there is maternity paid leave. However, there is no statutory paternity paid leave. Parental leave is allowed.

Employees are entitled to a minimum of 192 hours' paid leave per year (plus public holidays).

In 2024, an employee with a 40-hour working week will be entitled to 240 hours (ie., 30 days) of paid vacation leave. That is, the 192 hours basic leave entitlement plus 48 hours in lieu of the six Public Holidays that fall on weekends.

There are possible increases by individual agreement and/or per the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)/employment level.

Additional leaves provided by CBA/law.

Carryover

It is only possible to carry forward up to 50% of the annual leave entitlement to the following year if there is an agreement with the employer (S.L.452.87:Organisation of Working Time Regulations). Such vacation leave carried forward from the previous year shall be utilised first and may not be carried forward again.

There is no statutory provision on severance payments. These payments are often subject to post-termination negotiations.

Terminations are heavily regulated. There are major blocks for specific categories, and procedural requirements depending on the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)/size/number of dismissals.

Notice periods determined by length of service.