Malta (MT)
Malta is a small EU island nation in the central Mediterranean — the smallest EU member state by area — celebrated for its extraordinary concentration of history (the Knights of St John, ancient megalithic temples older than Stonehenge), warm climate of 300+ sunshine days per year, English as a co-official language making it uniquely accessible for anglophone expats, a thriving iGaming and fintech sector, and a strategic location halfway between Europe and North Africa.
Employment Rights
Sick leave, dismissal protection and red flags in Malta.
Employment in Malta is governed primarily by the Employment and Industrial Relations Act (EIRA, Chapter 452), the European Convention Act, and numerous subsidiary legislation instruments. Malta is an EU member, so EU employment law directives apply — including minimum working time protections, parental leave rights, and anti-discrimination rules. The Department of Industrial and Employment Relations (DIER — dier.gov.mt) enforces employment rights. The Employment Tribunal handles individual employment disputes. Malta's minimum wage is €229.44/week from 1 January 2026 (approximately €994/month), adjusted annually by a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). Expats have exactly the same employment rights as Maltese citizens under Maltese law.
Sick leave
Rules: Employees in Malta are entitled to paid sick leave. Under the EIRA and applicable wage regulation orders, employees who have completed the probationary period are entitled to sick leave with pay. The minimum entitlement is 2 working weeks (10 working days) per year at full pay. Collective agreements (particularly in iGaming and financial services) often provide more generous sick leave provisions.
Doctor note: A medical certificate is required from a doctor after 3 consecutive days of sick leave. Some employers require a certificate from the first day — check your employment contract.
Employer pay: Full pay (up to 2 weeks per year under EIRA minimum). Many employers, particularly in gaming and finance, offer 4–6 weeks of paid sick leave per year as a benefit to retain talent.
Long-term: For longer-term illness (beyond the employer-paid sick leave period), employees may be entitled to Sickness Benefit from the Department of Social Security (DSS). Eligibility requires sufficient National Insurance (NI) contributions. The DSS sickness benefit is a flat daily rate (approximately €37–40/day in 2026) and is significantly less than a typical salary — long-term sickness can cause financial hardship.
Dismissal protection
Law: Employment and Industrial Relations Act (EIRA), Chapter 452. Employees who complete the probationary period are protected against unfair dismissal. Dismissal for disciplinary reasons requires a fair process: written warning(s), hearing, and right to respond. Redundancy must be genuine and follow proper procedures. Wrongful dismissal compensation: up to 52 weeks' wages (Employment Tribunal award).
Deadline to sue: Claims for unfair dismissal must be filed with the Employment Tribunal within 4 months of the dismissal date. This is a strict deadline — do not delay seeking legal advice if you believe you were unfairly dismissed.
Probation
The standard probationary period in Malta is 6 months for white-collar employees. For employees earning above a certain threshold or in managerial roles, probation may be up to 1 year. During probation, either party can terminate employment with 1 week's notice. After probation, full unfair dismissal protections apply. Probationary periods must be specified in the written employment contract.
Notice periods
Notice periods after probation are set by the EIRA and cannot be less than: 1 week for the first 6 months to 2 years of service; 2 weeks for 2–3 years; 4 weeks for 3–4 years; 8 weeks for 4+ years. Many employment contracts provide more generous notice periods than the statutory minimum, particularly in senior roles.
Working time
Max hours: 48 hours per week averaged over 17 weeks (EU Working Time Directive). Normal contracted hours are typically 40 hours/week (8 hours/day, Monday–Friday). Employees can opt out of the 48-hour limit by written agreement.
Min rest: Minimum 11 hours continuous rest per 24-hour period; 24 hours continuous rest per 7-day period. These are EU Working Time Directive minimums. Break: at least 15 minutes for every 6 hours of work.
Overtime: Overtime is payable at 1.5x the normal hourly rate for hours worked beyond the contracted daily hours, or on rest days, unless a collective agreement specifies different arrangements. Night work and Sunday work attract additional supplements in some wage regulation orders.
Vacation
24 working days of paid annual leave per year (statutory minimum under EIRA) — an entitlement significantly above many EU countries' minimums of 20 days. The 24-day entitlement includes public holidays where work is required; effectively it equals 4.6 working weeks. Days must be taken in the year they accrue, unless a written agreement allows carry-over. On termination of employment, untaken accrued leave must be compensated. Many employers in the iGaming and financial services sectors offer 25–30 days of annual leave as a competitive benefit.
Anti-discrimination
Malta's Employment and Industrial Relations Act and the Equal Treatment in Employment Regulations prohibit discrimination in employment on grounds of: age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, race or ethnic origin, gender, marital status, pregnancy, family responsibilities, and colour. The Equal Opportunities (Persons with Disability) Act provides additional protections. Non-EU nationals legally working in Malta have equal employment rights with EU/Maltese workers. Complaints can be filed with the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE — equality.gov.mt) or the Industrial Tribunal.
Contract red flags
- !"No overtime pay" clauses without proper written opt-out under the Working Time Directive — may be unlawful.
- !"No sick leave" or "sick leave at employer's discretion" — the EIRA minimum entitlement cannot be waived.
- !"At will" termination clauses that attempt to circumvent EIRA notice period and unfair dismissal protections.
- !Excessive restraint of trade (non-compete) clauses — particularly in iGaming where they are commonly used; very broad restrictions may not be enforceable under Maltese courts.
- !Salary in a foreign currency without an exchange rate protection clause — exposes employees to FX risk.
- !"Internship" or "trainee" contracts used to avoid paying minimum wage or NI contributions for regular employees.
- !Contracts stating your employment is governed by a non-Maltese law for employees actually working in Malta — Maltese EIRA protections generally apply regardless.
- !Absence of written employment contract — all Maltese employees are legally entitled to a written statement of particulars within 4 weeks of starting employment.
Employment Rights
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