Working Hours and Overtime in Malta

What Are The Standard Working Hours In Malta?

An employee whose age is 17 or younger has a maximum of 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week. An employee whose age is 18 or older is allowed to work an average of 40 hours per week, which may be extended up to 48 hours including overtime if the worker signs an individual opt-out. A minimum meal interval of 15 minutes must be observed by employees who work more than 6 hours in a day. In typical working hours, Monday through Friday, the hours are 8:00 to 17:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Malta

Under Maltese law, the standard working time for full-time employees is 40 hours per week, normally spread over five or six days. Working time, including overtime, must not exceed an average of 48 hours per week over a reference period of 17 weeks unless the employee has expressly consented in writing to work beyond this limit. Employers must monitor working time and keep accurate records to demonstrate that average limits are respected.

Daily working time is typically capped at 8 hours for most employees, although certain work patterns may distribute hours differently as long as the average weekly limits are maintained. Any arrangement that increases weekly hours must be supported by a written agreement and must still comply with mandatory daily and weekly rest periods. Employers must also ensure that workers are informed of their working schedules in advance and that changes are communicated with reasonable notice.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

Companies hiring in sectors like healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, or hospitality may be subject to special scheduling rules. These sectors often rely on shift work, split shifts, or rotating rosters to provide continuous service while still respecting the average 48-hour weekly cap including overtime. Collective agreements or sectoral regulations may introduce additional protections or specific patterns for these industries.

• Healthcare professionals may work 12-hour shifts with extended rest periods.
• Transport workers must comply with EU-aligned rest and driving limits.
• Manufacturing and security staff often rotate through night or weekend shifts.

Even in these sectors, you must ensure the average weekly limit is respected over a reference period. Employers should regularly review rosters to confirm that the 48-hour average over 17 weeks is not exceeded and that minimum daily and weekly rest is guaranteed. Any derogations allowed by law or collective agreement must be clearly documented and communicated to affected employees.

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Certain senior managerial or autonomous decision-making roles in Malta may be excluded from some working-time provisions where their working hours cannot be measured or predetermined. However, these employees must still benefit from general health and safety protections, and their contracts should clearly describe expected working patterns and any flexibility required. Employers should avoid assuming that all white-collar or supervisory staff are exempt and should assess roles on a case-by-case basis.

Where exemptions apply, it is good practice to set indicative weekly hours or workload expectations to prevent excessive working time. Employers should also ensure that managerial staff have access to adequate rest and that any additional hours are reflected in salary levels or other benefits. Transparent communication about expectations reduces the risk of disputes and claims of excessive or unpaid working time.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Malta

In Malta, statutory full-time employment is generally based on 40 hours per week, normally worked over five 8-hour days or six shorter days depending on the sector. Collective agreements or sectoral rules may set slightly different weekly hours, such as 38 or 39 hours, but these are still treated as full-time for that workplace. Employers must specify the normal weekly hours and distribution of workdays in the written statement of employment.

Part-time employees work fewer hours than the full-time schedule applicable in the same establishment, and their entitlements are usually pro-rated. Flexible arrangements, such as compressed workweeks or variable hours, are permitted as long as the average weekly working-time limits and rest requirements are respected. Any change from full-time to part-time or vice versa should be documented in writing and agreed with the employee.

Overtime Regulations In Malta

Employers in Malta must manage overtime in line with the Working Time Regulations, ensuring that the average working week does not exceed 48 hours over a 17-week reference period unless a valid opt-out is in place. You are required to keep reliable records of hours worked, overtime performed, and any written consents to exceed the 48-hour average. Failure to document and control overtime can expose your organisation to administrative fines, claims for unpaid wages, and enforcement action by the Department of Industrial and Employment Relations.

What Counts As Overtime In Malta?

Overtime in Malta generally refers to hours worked in excess of the normal weekly hours established in the employee’s contract or applicable collective agreement, typically above 40 hours per week for full-time staff. Work performed beyond the standard daily schedule, such as after 17:00 in a typical 8:00–17:00 pattern, will usually be treated as overtime if it pushes the weekly total above the contractual norm. Hours worked on a scheduled weekly rest day or public holiday are also commonly treated as overtime for pay purposes.

For many employees, overtime must be expressly requested or approved by the employer, and you should have a clear policy stating when overtime is authorised. In sectors covered by Wage Regulation Orders, overtime may be defined more precisely, for example as hours beyond the normal daily or weekly limits set in that order. Employers should ensure that any overtime arrangements respect the 11-hour daily rest and 24-hour weekly rest requirements, even when business needs are pressing.

Maximum Overtime In Malta

In Malta, the key legal cap is that total working time, including overtime, must not exceed an average of 48 hours per week over a 17-week reference period, unless the employee signs an individual opt-out. Without an opt-out, this effectively limits overtime to an average of 8 hours per week above the standard 40-hour schedule over the reference period. Employers must obtain written consent from employees who agree to work beyond the 48-hour average and must not subject them to detriment if they refuse.

Some Wage Regulation Orders set additional numerical caps on overtime, such as limiting overtime to 8 hours per week or 32 hours over a four-week period for specific sectors, and these sectoral limits must be respected alongside the 48-hour average rule. Employers should regularly review timesheets to ensure that no employee consistently exceeds 55–60 actual hours in any given week, as this may breach health and safety obligations even where the 17-week average is compliant. Where operational peaks require higher overtime, consider temporary staff or shift adjustments rather than relying on sustained excessive hours.

Overtime Payout Rates In Malta

In many Maltese sectors governed by Wage Regulation Orders, the statutory minimum overtime rate for hours worked in excess of the normal weekly hours is 150% of the normal hourly rate, that is 1.5x pay. For example, if an employee’s basic hourly rate is €10, overtime hours must be paid at a minimum of €15 per hour. Some collective agreements or company policies provide higher rates, such as 175% (1.75x) for certain categories of staff, and you must always apply the most favourable applicable rate.

Work performed on Sundays or the employee’s designated weekly rest day is often paid at 200% of the normal hourly rate, that is 2.0x pay, under various Wage Regulation Orders. Public holiday work is frequently compensated at 200% (2.0x) or, in some sectors, 250% (2.5x) of the basic hourly rate, sometimes combined with time off in lieu. Employers should clearly specify in contracts or policies the exact numerical overtime rates for weekday overtime, Sunday work at 2.0x, and public holiday work at 2.0x–2.5x, and ensure payroll systems apply these multipliers correctly.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Malta

In Malta, employees typically work around 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week, and rest periods are designed to protect health and safety within this framework. Workers who perform more than 6 hours in a day are entitled to a rest break during working time, and they must also receive minimum daily and weekly rest away from work. As an employer, you must schedule these breaks so that they fit logically within your standard working hours and do not undermine the statutory limits on working time.

• Meal Break: Employees who work more than 6 consecutive hours in Malta are entitled to a rest break of at least 15 minutes, which should be scheduled so that they do not work the entire period without a pause. Many employers voluntarily provide longer meal breaks of 30–60 minutes in standard 8-hour shifts.
• Daily Rest: Employees must receive an uninterrupted daily rest period of at least 11 consecutive hours between the end of one working day and the start of the next. You should design rosters so that no shift pattern reduces this rest below 11 hours, even when overtime is required.
• Weekly Rest: Workers are entitled to a minimum uninterrupted rest period of 24 hours every week, in addition to the 11 hours of daily rest. In practice, this usually means at least one full day off per week, often Sunday, or two consecutive days off over a 14-day period.
• Minors: Young workers under 18 in Malta benefit from stricter rest rules, including a minimum daily rest of 12 consecutive hours and a weekly rest of at least 48 consecutive hours. They are also entitled to a 30-minute break if their daily working time exceeds 4.5 hours.
• Employer Duty: Employers must actively organise work so that statutory breaks and rest periods are taken, not merely offered in theory. You should keep rosters and attendance records that demonstrate compliance and adjust staffing levels to avoid systematic infringement of rest entitlements.

Night Shifts And Weekend Regulations In Malta

Night and weekend work are legal in Malta but subject to additional employer responsibilities and employee protections. You must ensure that night workers do not exceed the average 8 hours of night work in any 24-hour period where specific night-work limits apply, and that they receive appropriate health surveillance. Weekend work, particularly on Sundays, must respect weekly rest requirements and any enhanced pay rates set by Wage Regulation Orders or collective agreements.

Night work in Malta is generally defined as work performed between 22:00 and 06:00, and a night worker is typically someone who performs at least 3 hours of their daily working time during this period or a significant portion of their annual hours at night. This definition applies across most roles, although specific sectors may refine it through Wage Regulation Orders or collective agreements. Employers must identify which employees qualify as night workers and apply the relevant protections consistently.

• Premium Pay: Maltese law does not impose a single statutory night-work premium rate, so there is no universal percentage such as 25% or 1.25x mandated for all sectors. In practice, many Wage Regulation Orders and collective agreements provide night-shift premia in the range of 120%–150% of the basic hourly rate, for example 1.2x–1.5x pay, and you must apply at least the sectoral minimum that covers your business.
• Health Monitoring: Regular night workers in Malta are entitled to free health assessments at regular intervals to monitor the impact of night work on their wellbeing. If a doctor finds that night work is harming an employee’s health, you should, where possible, transfer them to suitable day work.
• Workplace Restrictions: Minors under 18 are generally prohibited from night work between 22:00 and 06:00, subject to very limited exceptions with strict safeguards. Pregnant workers and new mothers must not be obliged to perform night work if a medical certificate states that it is unsafe, and you may need to adjust duties or working times accordingly.

Weekend work in Malta must be organised so that employees still receive at least 24 consecutive hours of weekly rest, often scheduled on Sunday or another agreed day. In many sectors, work performed on Sunday is paid at 200% of the normal hourly rate, that is 2.0x pay, or compensated with a combination of premium pay and a substitute rest day, and you should check the Wage Regulation Order or collective agreement applicable to your industry.