How Many Hours is Part-Time in Malta by Law — 2026 Guide

How Many Hours is Part-Time in Malta by Law — 2026 Guide

If you are looking for part-time work in Malta, one of the first questions you probably have is how many hours actually count as part-time. The answer matters because it affects your rights, your pay, and what your employer is legally required to provide.

What Counts as Part-Time Work in Malta

Under Maltese law, specifically the Part-Time Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations, a part-time employee is defined as any worker whose normal weekly working hours are less than the normal weekly hours of a comparable full-time employee in the same workplace.

In practice, full-time work in Malta is generally considered to be 40 hours per week. This means any contract below 40 hours per week is legally considered part-time. Most part-time roles in Malta fall between 10 and 30 hours per week depending on the industry.

Minimum Hours for Part-Time Work

Malta does not set a legal minimum number of hours for part-time work. Technically an employer can offer you as few as 4 or 5 hours per week. However, once you work any hours under an employment contract, you are entitled to the full protection of Maltese employment law regardless of how few hours you work.

Your Legal Rights as a Part-Time Worker in Malta

Part-time workers in Malta have the same rights as full-time workers on a pro-rata basis. This means:

Annual Leave

You are entitled to annual leave calculated proportionally to the hours you work. Full-time workers receive a minimum of 192 hours per year, so if you work 20 hours per week (50% of full time) you are entitled to 96 hours of annual leave per year.

Sick Leave

Part-time workers in Malta are entitled to sick leave on a pro-rata basis. You must provide a medical certificate for absences of more than two consecutive days.

Public Holidays

If a public holiday falls on a day you normally work, you are entitled to the day off with pay or an alternative day in lieu.

Maternity and Parental Leave

Part-time workers have the same maternity and parental leave rights as full-time employees.

Social Security

If you earn above a certain threshold, your employer must contribute to your social security even if you work part-time.

Overtime Rules for Part-Time Workers

Overtime for part-time workers in Malta is calculated differently than for full-time workers. As a part-time employee, any hours you work beyond your contracted hours up to the full-time threshold are paid at your normal hourly rate, not at an overtime premium. Only hours worked beyond 40 hours per week attract overtime pay.

For example, if you are contracted for 20 hours per week and you work 30 hours one week, the extra 10 hours are paid at your normal rate. If you work 45 hours, the first 20 extra hours are at normal rate and the final 5 hours attract overtime pay.

Can an Employer Change Your Part-Time Hours

Your employer cannot unilaterally reduce your contracted hours without your agreement. Any change to your contracted hours must be agreed in writing. If your employer tries to reduce your hours without agreement this may constitute a breach of contract and you should contact the Department of Industrial and Employment Relations (DIER) in Malta.

Part-Time to Full-Time Transitions

If a full-time position becomes available in your workplace and you are a part-time worker, your employer should consider you for that role. While there is no absolute legal right to be promoted to full-time, employers are encouraged to give part-time workers preference when full-time roles arise.

Zero-Hours Contracts in Malta

Some employers in Malta use zero-hours contracts, particularly in hospitality and events. These are legal but controversial. Under a zero-hours arrangement there is no guaranteed minimum number of hours — your employer calls you in when needed. If you are on a zero-hours contract you still have basic employment rights but calculating entitlements like annual leave becomes more complex based on average hours worked.

Where to Find Part-Time Jobs in Malta

Now that you know your rights, finding the right part-time role is the next step. MaltaPartTime.com aggregates part-time job listings from all the major Malta job boards including Alfred, Jobhound, Jobsinmalta and more, updated daily. You can filter by location, job type and salary to find the perfect role.

Browse current part-time jobs at MaltaPartTime.com