Overtime and Break Laws in Malta (2026)
Overtime Regulations (S.L. 452.110); Organisation of Working Time Regulations (S.L. 452.87) · Reviewed 2026-10 · Private-sector employees
Overtime
Where no Wage Regulation Order sets the rate, overtime is paid at 1.5x for work beyond a 40-hour week, averaged over 4 weeks or the shift cycle.
Breaks and lunch
When the working day is longer than 6 hours, the worker gets an uninterrupted rest break of at least 15 minutes, away from the workstation, unless a collective agreement sets other terms.
Overtime in Malta
- 1.5x pay for hours past 40 in a week.
- Sector Wage Regulation Orders (WROs) set their own overtime rates and override the default where they apply. Where no WRO applies, an existing collective agreement on overtime pay still applies.
- Averaging over a 4-week period or the shift cycle is at the employer's discretion.
- Average weekly hours, overtime included, may not exceed 48 over 17 weeks (52 weeks in manufacturing and tourism). A worker can opt out in writing and withdraw with 7 days' notice (up to 3 months if agreed).
- Hour-banking schemes of up to 376 hours a year are allowed with the Director's authorisation; unredeemed banked hours are paid at overtime rates at year end unless up to 160 are carried over by written agreement.
- Managing executives, family workers and others whose hours are not measured are excluded from the rest and 48-hour rules.
Averaging over a pay period: Allowed: the 40-hour threshold is averaged over 4 weeks or the shift cycle at the employer's discretion.
What two weeks of work come to
Worked out by the rule above (1.5x after 40h in a week). Hours.
| Two weeks of | Regular | Overtime (1.5x) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 days of 8 hours, two weeks (80h) | 80 | 0 |
| 5 days of 10 hours, two weeks (100h) | 80 | 20 |
| 6 days of 9 hours, two weeks (108h) | 80 | 28 |
| 50 hours, then 30 hours (80h) | 70 | 10 |
Breaks and lunch in Malta
- Rest break: 1 × 15 minutes, unpaid, for shifts of 6 hours or more.
| Shift | Rest breaks | Meal break |
|---|---|---|
| 4 hours | None | None |
| 6 hours | 1 × 15 min, unpaid | None |
| 8 hours | 1 × 15 min, unpaid | None |
| 10 hours | 1 × 15 min, unpaid | None |
| 12 hours | 1 × 15 min, unpaid | None |
- Daily rest of 11 consecutive hours per 24-hour period.
- Weekly rest of 24 uninterrupted hours plus the 11-hour daily rest per 7 days, or two 24-hour or one 48-hour rest per 14 days.
- A collective agreement can modify or exclude the break and rest rules, with equivalent compensatory rest.
Pay by Malta rules in Kloqk
Kloqk is a free time clock. In Settings, open Payroll, press Rules by country and pick Malta: the overtime and break rules above fill in, and every timesheet, report and payroll export follows them. Change any number to match your own contract.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the overtime rule in Malta?
Where no Wage Regulation Order sets the rate, overtime is paid at 1.5x for work beyond a 40-hour week, averaged over 4 weeks or the shift cycle.
Can overtime be averaged over two weeks or a pay period in Malta?
Allowed: the 40-hour threshold is averaged over 4 weeks or the shift cycle at the employer's discretion.
What breaks are required in Malta?
When the working day is longer than 6 hours, the worker gets an uninterrupted rest break of at least 15 minutes, away from the workstation, unless a collective agreement sets other terms.