Malta flag Malta: Operating a Business in Malta

Work conditions in Malta

The Active Population in Figures

	2023	2024	2025
Labour Force	313,202	327,237	340,034

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database

	2022	2023	2024
Total activity rate	79.39%	80.66%	81.81%
Men activity rate	85.69%	87.31%	88.08%
Women activity rate	72.00%	72.66%	74.17%

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database

Working Conditions

Legal Weekly Duration: The number of normal working hours per week is 40 hours.
Retirement Age: 65 years for people born from 1962 onwards. For previous birth years, the legal age is between 62 and 64 years.
Working Contracts: The work contract is mainly governed by the legal provisions of Conditions of Employment (Regulation) Act. Employment contracts can be on fixed or indefinite term and on a full time or part time basis.
Labour Laws: Consult Doing Business Website, to obtain a summary of the labor regulations that apply to local entreprises.

Cost of Labour

Minimum Wage: The national minimum weekly wage for employees aged 18 and over is €229.44, as officially confirmed in the Budget 2026 and regulated by the Department of Industrial and Employment Relations (DIER).
Average Wage: The average gross monthly wage in Malta in 2026 is estimated at €1,830 - €2,330 (about €2,080 on average).
Social Contributions: Social Security Contributions Paid By Employers: 10% of the employee's weekly salary (for annual salaries higher than 24,986 euros a weekly fixed rate of EUR 48.57 applies)
Social Security Contributions Paid By Employees: 10% of the employee's weekly salary (for annual salaries higher than 24,986 euros a weekly fixed contribution of EUR 48.57 applies)

Social Partners

Social Dialogue and Involvement of Social Partners: The main union of the island is the General Workers' Union - GWU.
The regulations governing the unions are based on the Industrial Relations Act of 1976.
Labour Unions: General Workers' Union of Malta
Unionisation Rate: Trade union membership has grown considerably in the past 20 years. Of around 86,000 members, nearly three-quarters are men. Union representation in the public sector is very strong. Unionization in the private sector is considerably lower than in the public sector. Around one-third of full-time employees of the private sector are covered by collective agreements.
Labour Regulation Bodies: Employment and Training Corporation

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