Last updated on December 25, 2023.

Paid Time Off (PTO) in Malta

Vacation Leave Quota

24 days

Full-time employees (working a standard 40-hour workweek) receive 24 days (192 hours) of paid vacation. In addition to that, they also get extra vacation days each year to make up for public holidays that occur during weekends. During 2024, six public holidays occur on weekends (Feast of St. Paul’s Shipwreck, Freedom Day, Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul, Victory Day, Independence Day, and Immaculate Conception). According to this rule, employees will have a total of 30 days of vacation in 2024.

This national vacation policy is more generous to employees in Malta than the most common 20 days of vacation in most leave laws in European countries. However, employees in France and the United Kingdom have a slightly higher number of vacation days.

The number of vacation days is adapted proportionately for employees who work more than the normal 40 hours per week and for employees who work less than 40 hours. Employees who work part-time are eligible for leave based on the average number of hours they work per day, multiplied by the number 24.

For employees who have been in the company for less than a full year, vacation entitlement is prorated.

Vacation benefits accrue at a rate of 2 days each month, and employees become entitled to it after working for a full month. The law mandates that at least 4 weeks of leave may not be substituted by any other allocations, except in cases of the end of employment.

Vacation may be used in hourly increments if there is an agreement between an employee and the employer. Without such an agreement, vacation must be taken only for a full day.

Carry Over of Vacation Days

Allowed.

At the end of the current calendar year, any unused vacation days will automatically carry over to the following one.

Sick Leave in Malta

10 days

Employees in Malta are entitled to at least 10 days (2 weeks) of paid sick leave. Sick leave generally falls under the rules of the WRO - Wage Regulation Order. This means that this sick leave entitlement of a minimum of 10 days applies only to employees who are under WRO. Better sick leave benefits may be available to employees covered by WRO.

Employees who work under part-time contracts are also entitled to sick leave, but the exact number of days is calculated pro rata.

A medical certificate from a doctor must be submitted to the employer in order to qualify for sick leave.

Payout

The compensation for sick leave varies based on its duration:

• From 0 to 3 days of sick leave, the employer pays 100% of the base salary.

• From 4 to 10 days of sick leave, the government pays 100% of the base salary.

Maternity and Paternity Leave

Maternity Leave in Malta

18 weeks

A pregnant employee in Malta is entitled to 18 weeks of maternity leave. They are required to take 4 weeks of leave before the expected birth of a child and a minimum of 6 weeks following childbirth.

A woman must be employed continuously for at least 6 weeks in order to be eligible for leave.

After the end of maternity leave, a mother may take parental leave.

Payout

The employer will pay an employee during the first 14 weeks of maternity leave. After that, social security covers the rest of the leave. An employee receives her regular salary when on leave.

Paternity Leave in Malta

10 days

An employee who becomes a father is entitled to 10 paid days of paternity leave. This leave must be used within the first 15 days following childbirth.

A father may take parental leave after the end of paternity leave.

Payout

During paternity leave, an employee receives a full salary, and it is the employer who pays.

Parental Leave in Malta

4 months

Employees who have completed a full year at their company are eligible for 4 months of parental leave to care for their son or daughter. This leave consists of two months of paid leave, and afterwards, 2 months are unpaid.

This leave may be taken by both parents. Leave must be used before the child is 8 years old.

Other Types of Statutory Leave in Malta

Subject to the terms of the employment contract or collective agreement, an employee in Malta may be granted additional types of leave upon mutual approval with the employer.

Moreover, besides all the paid time off already mentioned above, employers are required to permit their employees to take other statutory types of leave, including:

• injury leave

• bereavement leave

• birth leave

• marriage leave

• jury service leave

• court witness leave

Bereavement Leave in Malta

Required by law.

An employee is entitled to paid bereavement leave when death in a family occurs. It may be taken in the unfortunate event of the death of the employee’s: sister, brother, husband, wife, father, mother, daughter, or son.

Jury Duty Leave in Malta

Required by law.

All employees have the right to jury duty leave, during which they are permitted to take the required paid time off to fulfill their duties in court. Additionally, employees working in clinics or hospitals are entitled to special paid time off if they are called as witnesses in police-related cases.

Military Leave in Malta

Military leave is not specified by law.

Voting Leave in Malta

Voting leave is not specified by law.

Public Holidays in Malta for 2024

13 national holidays

A complete list of official holidays celebrated in Malta:

A holiday that falls on a weekend is provided as a vacation day in lieu.

Sources

1. Local Laws & Regulations, https://www.atlashxm.com/en/countries/malta

2. Payroll and Benefits Guide Malta, https://www.papayaglobal.com/countrypedia/country/malta/

3. Definitive Guide to Hiring in Malta, https://www.globalexpansion.com/countrypedia/malta

Check out our Leave Laws page to learn more about laws in various countries.