The Department of Industrial and Employment Relations (DIER) has introduced many key legislative updates in 2025 to enhance employment rights and workplace standards in Malta.

These changes impact temporary workers, employment agencies, wage structures, and working conditions. Below, we provide a structured overview of the main legislative updates, making it easier for employers to understand their obligations and ensure compliance.

1. Employment agencies and temporary workers regulations

This amendment enhances the regulatory framework for employment agencies, ensuring greater transparency and accountability:

• Expands the definition of 'advertisement' to include online platforms.
• Lowers the minimum age requirement for agency licensing from 25 to 18 years.
• Mandates that all agency applications be published in both Maltese and English newspapers, in print and online.
• Requires entities under Government control to comply with licensing requirements.
• Prohibits agencies from charging job seekers any fees in exchange for employment services.

Temporary agency workers regulations

New regulations replacing the current framework introduce these key changes:

• Extended scope: Now includes outsourcing agencies, ensuring that all employment agencies are held to the same standards.
• Equal employment conditions: Removes exemptions that previously delayed equal pay, ensuring temporary workers receive the same pay and benefits as directly employed workers from day one.
• Most favourable conditions apply: If a temporary worker’s existing terms are better than the assigned workplace’s, the more favourable terms prevail.
• Protection against discrimination claims: Defines specific scenarios where employment agencies and user undertakings are protected from discrimination claims.

2. Organisation of working time in inland waterway transport

This regulation establishes clear working time rules for employees in the inland waterway transport sector:

• Working time: Limited to 14 hours per day and 84 hours per week.
• Rest periods: Minimum of 10 hours in any 24-hour period and at least 84 hours per week.
• Night work: Capped at seven hours per night and 42 hours per week.
• Annual leave: A minimum of four weeks paid leave per year.
• Record keeping: Employers must maintain and retain daily records of working hours and rest periods for at least 12 months.
• Health and safety: Employers must conduct risk assessments for night workers and provide annual health assessments.
• Emergency protocols: Boatmasters can override scheduled rest periods in emergencies but must compensate workers with rest time afterward.

3. Minimum wage and collective bargaining regulations

These regulations aim to strengthen wage structures and collective bargaining in Malta:

• National minimum wage:
• €221.78 per week for workers aged 18 and over.
• €215.00 per week for 17-year-olds.
• €212.16 per week for workers under 17.
• Wage increase for employees:
• A €5.24 weekly increase for full-time employees.
• Proportional increases for part-time employees.
• Promotion of collective bargaining:
• Encourages stronger employer-union negotiations.
• Requires the government to take steps to increase collective bargaining coverage.
• Protection against retaliation: Employers cannot dismiss or penalise workers for exercising collective bargaining rights.

4. Wage regulation orders (WROs) updates

The 2024 amendments to Wage Regulation Orders adjust sector-specific wages and conditions:

• Construction, beverage, and security industries: Adjusted minimum wages for different roles, including watchmen and industrial workers.
• Hotels and clubs sector: Updated wages for restaurant workers, musicians, and watchmen.
• Leather goods and shoes industries: Wage increases for employees across all experience levels.
• Transport sector: Enhanced minimum wages for seafarers, coxswains, engineers, and other maritime professionals.
• Retail and cleaning services: Wage adjustments to reflect cost-of-living increases.

These adjustments ensure that wages remain fair and competitive across all industries.

Key takeaways for employers

Employers must:

• Review employment contracts to ensure compliance with updated wage structures.
• Adjust HR policies to reflect changes in temporary work regulations.
• Maintain proper records of working hours, especially for sectors with specific time-tracking requirements.
• Engage in collective bargaining processes where applicable.
• Provide necessary health and safety assessments, particularly for night workers and inland waterway employees.