Malta’s rules set a two-working-week minimum for employees not covered by a Wage Regulation Order (WRO). A WRO may set different terms, so your industry, hours and service matter.
| Situation | What to know |
|---|---|
| Your job is covered by a Wage Regulation Order | Your sector’s WRO sets the sick-leave entitlement. Check it alongside your contract and any collective agreement; the general two-week rule may not apply. |
| Your job is not covered by a Wage Regulation Order | The statutory minimum is two working weeks per calendar year, calculated in hours. Part-time and shorter-service entitlements are proportional. |
| Your illness or injury is work-related | A separate Injury Benefit route may apply. The injury day and next three working days are paid in full by the employer before the benefit begins. |
How much paid sick leave do you get?
There is no single allowance for every employee in Malta. DIER’s sick-leave guidance says the applicable Wage Regulation Order (WRO) sets the entitlement where one covers your industry. Check the WRO for your actual job, as well as your contract and any more favourable collective agreement.
If no WRO covers you, the statutory minimum is two working weeks per calendar year, calculated in hours. The regulations provide for full pay less an amount equal to the Social Security Sickness Benefit rate. The employer pays the first three days in full under this general rule. Part-time entitlement is pro rata, and someone with less than 12 months’ service receives a proportional entitlement.
Those are fallback rules, not a promise that every employee gets the same hours or pay. DIER’s guidance notes that sectoral rules can differ, including exceptions to the usual first-three-days arrangement. Ask your employer which WRO applies and how your hours and length of service affect your entitlement.
What happens when employer-paid sick leave is used up?
Social Security Sickness Benefit is separate from your employer’s sick-leave entitlement. For an eligible employee, it generally starts from the fourth working day of sickness; it does not guarantee that you will continue receiving your full wage. The Department of Social Security says an employer may pay wages less the benefit due, or pay wages and recover the benefit amount from the employee after Social Security issues it.
The Department’s general criteria include being under 65, having at least 50 paid Class 1 or Class 2 contributions in total, and 20 paid or credited contributions in the two consecutive calendar years before the claim. Benefit is payable for up to 156 days and can be extended, subject to the applicable conditions and Medical Board decisions, up to 468 benefit days in two years. Check with the Department if you are unsure whether your contribution record qualifies.
Government employees are excluded from this benefit while on paid sick leave. The Department says that after paid entitlement is exhausted, they may ask their employer’s HR department about half-pay or no-pay sick-benefit days.
Which medical certificate do you need, and when?
For employer sick leave under the non-WRO statutory rule, you need medical certification from a registered practitioner. Unless a different applicable collective-agreement rule applies, give the certificate to your employer on the day you return. If your absence lasts more than seven days, the regulations allow submission within seven days of the absence starting.
A Social Security claim has a separate deadline. The Department of Social Security generally requires the Blue Medical Certificate within 10 days of the first day of sickness, with a copy for your employer; for a longer illness, it must be renewed every two weeks. For an illness of three working days or less, you do not need to submit it to Social Security, but your employer may still ask for its copy. The Department identifies hospitalisation and treatment abroad as exceptions to the 10-day rule.
Do nationality or contributions in another EU country matter?
Nationality alone does not decide whether you qualify for Sickness Benefit. The Department of Social Security says non-Maltese residents who are legally residing and registered as working in Malta may qualify depending on their circumstances, permit and contribution record. If you are insured in Malta but do not meet the Maltese contribution condition, insurance periods in another EU country may be considered through Social Security coordination. Ask the Department to check your record and explain what documents it needs.
EU contribution coordination concerns benefit eligibility; it does not itself establish employer sick-leave pay or a right to work or remain in Malta. If your permit or residence route is relevant to your circumstances, confirm it with the appropriate Maltese authority rather than assuming a benefit claim or application settles your status.
If the illness or injury is work-related
A work-related injury has a separate Social Security Injury Benefit route rather than simply following the ordinary sickness-benefit timetable. The Department of Social Security says the injury day and the following three working days are paid in full by the employer, with Injury Benefit starting after those days. Check the benefit conditions and your applicable WRO, as entitlement depends on the circumstances.
Questions people ask
Do part-time employees get paid sick leave in Malta?
Yes. Under the non-WRO statutory rule, part-time entitlement is calculated pro rata. A WRO may set different terms, so check the rules covering your industry.
Do I need to have worked for a year to qualify?
Under the non-WRO statutory rule, an employee with less than 12 months’ service receives a proportional entitlement. The applicable WRO may set different conditions.
Does Social Security pay my full wage while I am sick?
No. Sickness Benefit is a separate benefit, subject to eligibility, and is not a guarantee of full wages. The Department of Social Security says it generally starts from the fourth working day for an eligible employee.
Can I claim Sickness Benefit using contributions from another EU country?
Possibly. The Department of Social Security says another EU country’s insurance periods may be considered through coordination if you are insured in Malta but do not meet the Maltese contribution condition. Ask the Department to assess your circumstances.
Sources
- DIER — Sick Leave
- Legislation Malta — Minimum Special Leave Entitlement Regulations, S.L. 452.101
- Department of Social Security — Sickness Benefit
- Department of Social Security — FAQs for Non-Maltese Local Residents
- Department of Social Security — Injury Benefit
General information, not individual immigration or legal advice. Confirm your own status and current requirements with the relevant authority.