Short answer: the Malta minimum wage 2026 rate, the national minimum wage in force this year, is €229.44 a week for workers aged 18 and over, €222.66 at 17 and €219.82 under 17, set by Legal Notice 289 of 2025 and in force since 1 January 2026. For a 40-hour week that is about €5.74 an hour, roughly €994 a month or €11,930.88 a year, before the statutory bonuses and weekly allowances that all full-time employees receive. Budget 2027 is due to be presented on 26 October 2026; it normally sets the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for the following year, so these are the current 2026 rates, and you should check whether a 2027 rate has been confirmed before you plan around them. This guide explains the rates, how part-time pay works, sector rules and what the minimum wage means for living costs. It is general information, not legal or tax advice.
In this guide
- Malta minimum wage 2026: the rates
- How the minimum wage is set
- Statutory bonuses and weekly allowances
- Budget 2027 and the cost-of-living adjustment
- Part-time workers
- Worked examples (2026, adult rate)
- Wage Regulation Orders: sector minimums
- Overtime, Sundays and public holidays
- Does the minimum wage apply to foreign workers?
- Before you accept a minimum-wage job: checklist
- Working out your take-home pay
- Can you live in Malta on the minimum wage?
- How the minimum wage compares with other pay in Malta
- Your rights if you are underpaid
- Where to check the official figures
- Malta minimum wage 2026: FAQ
When friends ask me what “minimum wage in Malta” really means, I show them two numbers side by side: the weekly rate and the rent in their chosen area. That comparison explains more about life here than any statistic.
Malta minimum wage 2026: the rates
| Age | Weekly (40 hours) | Hourly equivalent | Approx. monthly | Annual (52 weeks) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 and over | €229.44 | €5.74 | €994 | €11,930.88 |
| 17 | €222.66 | €5.57 | €965 | €11,578.32 |
| Under 17 | €219.82 | €5.50 | €953 | €11,430.64 |
Weekly rates from the National Minimum Wage National Standard Order, 2025 (L.N. 289 of 2025), in force from 1 January 2026. Hourly, monthly and annual figures are my calculations (weekly ÷ 40; weekly × 52 ÷ 12; weekly × 52). Last checked October 2026. Pre-Budget 2027 figures.
The legal notice states that the rates follow the National Agreement on the Minimum Wage Recommendations by the Low Wage Commission, signed on 25 October 2023 by the government, trade unions and employers’ organisations represented on the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development.
How the minimum wage is set
Malta’s national minimum wage is set each year by a National Standard Order under the Employment and Industrial Relations Act (Chapter 452). The 2026 order was made by the minister responsible for employment and industrial relations on the recommendation of the Employment Relations Board, and published as Legal Notice 289 of 2025. Each new year’s rate therefore appears as a new legal notice, which is the document to check, rather than news reports or payroll blogs. The annual cost-of-living adjustment, announced in the budget and linked to inflation, feeds into these yearly increases.
Statutory bonuses and weekly allowances
On top of the weekly wage, employees in Malta receive statutory payments twice a year each. According to the Department for Industrial and Employment Relations (DIER):
| Payment | Amount (full-time) | When |
|---|---|---|
| Statutory bonus | €135.10 | End of June |
| Statutory bonus | €135.10 | Between 15 and 23 December |
| Weekly allowance | €121.16 | End of March |
| Weekly allowance | €121.16 | End of September |
Source: DIER, bonus and weekly allowances (dier.gov.mt), checked October 2026. Part-period amounts are pro rata.
Add those to a year of adult minimum-wage pay and the total gross comes to about €12,443 (€11,930.88 plus €270.20 in bonuses and €242.32 in allowances), before tax and social security contributions.
Budget 2027 and the cost-of-living adjustment
Malta’s Budget 2027 is due to be presented on 26 October 2026. Each year, the budget normally announces the cost-of-living adjustment, a weekly increase added to wages from 1 January to reflect inflation, and the national minimum wage is adjusted along with it. The 2023 Low Wage Commission agreement referenced in the 2026 legal notice also shapes how the minimum wage rises over its period.
What this means for you:
- The 2026 figures above apply until a new national standard order takes effect.
- Any 2027 rate is confirmed by a new legal notice, usually published towards the end of the year.
- If you are negotiating a contract that starts in January 2027, ask your employer whether the salary quoted already includes the 2027 adjustment.
I will update this guide with the confirmed 2027 rates once they are published in a legal notice.
Part-time workers
The legal notice sets out how part-timers are paid: the minimum wage for part-time employees is calculated pro rata, at the same hourly rate as a comparable whole-time employee under the relevant Wage Regulation Order, or, where no order applies, at an hourly rate not below the national minimum wage divided by 40. In practice, for an adult, that means at least about €5.74 an hour in 2026. Bonuses and allowances are also paid pro rata for part-timers.
Worked examples (2026, adult rate)
| Situation | Calculation | Gross pay |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time, 40 hours a week | €229.44 × 52 weeks | €11,930.88 a year, plus bonuses and allowances |
| Part-time, 20 hours a week | €5.736 × 20 hours | about €114.72 a week |
| Part-time, 30 hours a week | €5.736 × 30 hours | about €172.08 a week |
| Full-time, with statutory payments | €11,930.88 + €270.20 + €242.32 | about €12,443 a year |
My calculations from the 2026 rates in L.N. 289 of 2025 and DIER’s bonus and allowance amounts. Gross figures before tax and social security; a Wage Regulation Order may set higher rates for your sector.
Wage Regulation Orders: sector minimums
Many sectors in Malta, such as hospitality, retail, cleaning and security, have Wage Regulation Orders (WROs) that set minimum wages and conditions for that sector. Under the 2026 legal notice, wages payable under a WRO in 2026 must not be lower than the 2025 WRO rates adjusted for the cost of living. If your job falls under a WRO, its rate may be higher than the national minimum. Ask your employer which order applies, or check DIER’s wage pages.
Overtime, Sundays and public holidays
The minimum wage is a floor for normal hours. Overtime, Sunday work and work on public holidays are usually paid at higher rates set by your contract and, where it applies, your sector’s Wage Regulation Order. Ask before you start how overtime is calculated and whether it is paid or given as time off. Malta has 14 public holidays a year, and when one falls on a weekend, full-time workers get the equivalent time added to their annual leave; in 2026 that brings a 40-hour worker’s leave to 216 hours. Our working in Malta guide explains leave in more detail.
Does the minimum wage apply to foreign workers?
The national minimum wage applies to employees in Malta regardless of nationality. If you are a non-EU national, your work permit is tied to a specific job and employer, and your contract still has to meet the minimum wage and any Wage Regulation Order for your sector. Check your residence and work permit conditions on the official Identità pages, and keep copies of your contract and payslips.
Before you accept a minimum-wage job: checklist
- ☐ A written contract with your hourly or weekly rate, hours and place of work
- ☐ Which Wage Regulation Order, if any, applies to the job
- ☐ How overtime, Sundays and public holidays are paid
- ☐ When the statutory bonuses and weekly allowances are paid
- ☐ Your probation period and notice period
- ☐ Confirmation that your employment will be registered with Jobsplus
Working out your take-home pay
Your net pay depends on your tax status (single, married, parent), your social security contribution class and any allowances. This site does not give tax advice. The Commissioner for Revenue (cfr.gov.mt) publishes the official tax rates and tools, and your payslip should show gross pay, tax and social security deductions clearly. If something looks wrong, ask your employer first and DIER second.
What your payslip should show
- Gross pay for the period and hours worked;
- Overtime and any premium rates;
- Tax (FSS) and social security deductions;
- Statutory bonus or weekly allowance in the months they are paid;
- Your leave balance, if your employer includes it.
Can you live in Malta on the minimum wage?
Honestly, it is hard, mainly because of rent. Housing Authority data for the first half of 2025 put the median new two-bedroom lease at €1,500 a month in St Julian’s and €850 in St Paul’s Bay, and about a third of new shared contracts at €200 to €299 per tenant. With roughly €994 a month gross, most people on the minimum wage:
- share larger houses or flats, often outside the harbour towns;
- live with a partner or family with a second income;
- rely on free buses with a personalised tallinja card instead of a car;
- cook at home and keep eating out occasional.
Our cost of living in Malta guide has monthly budgets built from official figures, and our guide to the pros and cons of living in Malta weighs the trade-offs.
How the minimum wage compares with other pay in Malta
Most office jobs in Malta pay well above the minimum. For context, the NSO’s Labour Force Survey for the first quarter of 2026 put the average monthly salary in financial and insurance activities at €3,105, the highest of any sector. Our average salary in Malta guide breaks pay down by sector, gross and net. Minimum-wage jobs are concentrated in hospitality, retail, cleaning, care and some entry-level roles. Our working in Malta guide covers sectors too, and our digital nomad guide covers remote work for foreign employers.
Common mistakes
- Comparing a Maltese weekly rate with a monthly salary from another country without converting it.
- Forgetting the statutory bonuses and allowances when comparing offers.
- Not checking whether your job falls under a Wage Regulation Order with a higher rate.
- Accepting cash-in-hand work with no contract or payslip.
- Assuming the 2026 rate still applies in 2027 without checking the new legal notice.
Your rights if you are underpaid
If you think you are paid less than the minimum wage or the rate in your sector’s Wage Regulation Order, keep copies of your contract, payslips and a record of your hours. Raise it with your employer in writing first. If that does not work, DIER handles complaints about employment conditions, and a trade union can also advise you. Do not let a fear of losing a first job stop you from asking for what the law already guarantees.
Where to check the official figures
- The legal notice: the current National Minimum Wage National Standard Order on legislation.mt.
- DIER: wages, bonuses, allowances and Wage Regulation Orders, and the place to complain about underpayment.
- The Commissioner for Revenue: tax rates and calculators for working out net pay.
- The budget documents: for announced changes, including the cost-of-living adjustment for the coming year.
Malta minimum wage 2026: FAQ
What is the minimum wage in Malta in 2026?
€229.44 a week for workers aged 18 and over, €222.66 at age 17 and €219.82 under 17, under Legal Notice 289 of 2025, in force from 1 January 2026.
What is the hourly minimum wage in Malta?
For an adult on a 40-hour week, €229.44 divided by 40 is about €5.74 an hour in 2026. The legal notice uses the same weekly rate divided by 40 as the hourly floor for part-time workers where no Wage Regulation Order applies.
How much is the minimum wage per month in Malta?
About €994 gross a month for an adult (€229.44 × 52 weeks ÷ 12), or €11,930.88 a year. Statutory bonuses and weekly allowances add about €512 a year for full-time workers.
Will the minimum wage go up in 2027?
Budget 2027 is due to be presented on 26 October 2026, and the budget normally sets the cost-of-living adjustment for the next year. Any new rate takes effect through a new legal notice; check the latest notice before relying on the 2026 figures.
Do part-time workers get the minimum wage in Malta?
Yes, pro rata. Part-timers must be paid at least the same hourly rate as a comparable whole-time employee under the relevant Wage Regulation Order or, if none applies, at least the national minimum wage divided by 40 per hour.
What are the statutory bonuses in Malta?
According to DIER, full-time employees receive a €135.10 statutory bonus at the end of June and another between 15 and 23 December, plus a €121.16 weekly allowance at the end of March and at the end of September.
Want to turn this into an actual plan? MeetNow is a free app for meeting people in person: a host posts a plan at a public place, says who pays (host pays, split, pay your own or free) and picks who joins. It works in your browser and on Android through Google Play, starting in Malta; the iPhone app is not in the App Store yet. Open MeetNow and see the plans in Valletta, Sliema and St Julian’s.
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. We may mention products we are connected with; see our affiliate and product disclosure.
