Expand your business into Malta, even without an entity
Situated in the Mediterranean sea, the European island nation of Malta’s convenient location, and diverse economy make it a popular and potentially lucrative place to do business.
If your company is contemplating an expansion into Malta, it is important to understand that the process can often take longer than expected. The regulations, influenced by both nationwide and EU-level law, cultural differences, and often complex administrative procedures can all lead to delays, with the process taking weeks or even months to complete.
At Horizons, we help businesses from all industries to expand abroad, including into Malta. Our professional employer organization (PEO), employer of record, and payroll services can provide your organization with everything you need to kickstart your Maltese expansion in a matter of days, not months, even if you don’t have an established entity in the country.
We have an in-house recruitment team, so we can source, recruit, and onboard your new staff members. Additionally, you can use our Maltese subsidiary to act as employer of record for your new hires, so you don’t even need to register an entity in the country but will have total autonomy over your employees.
Our outsourcing solutions could save you thousands in expansion costs and can help you expand in a compliant, flexible, and scalable way.
How Horizons outsourcing can help you expand into Malta
Horizons enables your business to expand its operations into Malta without having to set up a legal subsidiary.
Rapid Market Entry
Horizons will enable you to source, hire, and onboard professionals across Malta in as little as 48 hours.
Cost-Effective Expansion
Our PEO solution can help you benefit from cost savings of up to 85%, without the need to establish a Maltese entity.
Payroll Services
Simplified Malta salary & payroll processing, including social security payments, tax, and any other required contributions.
Employee Onboarding
Utilize the relevant provision for all types of Maltese labor contracts, whether a fixed-term or open-ended contract.
Onsite Legal & HR Team
Full support for Malta-specific contract renewals, terminations, annual leave management, HR, and strategic guidance.
Ensure Full Compliance
We ensure that employment contracts are fully compliant and adhere to Maltese labor laws and best practices.
Hiring in Malta - Employment Law Overview
📝 Malta employment contracts
Contracts of employment can be either spoken or written in Malta, but we always recommend writing up a formal contract for every employee. Each contract should include all relevant details of the employment agreement, such as the expected duties, salary/wage, termination terms, and so on. They should also be written in one of Malta’s official languages (English and Maltese), and use the local currency of the Euro.
⏰ Working hours in Malta
The standard working week in Malta is around 40 hours. Anything above the legal maximum of 48 hours must be paid at overtime rates.
📅 National holidays in Malta
Date | Description | 1 Jan | New Year’s Day |
|---|---|
10 Feb | Feast of St. Paul’s shipwreck |
19 Mar | St. Joseph’s Day |
31 Mar | Freedom Day |
10 Apr | Good Friday |
1 May | Worker’s Day |
10 May | Mother’s Day |
7 Jun | Sette Giugno |
21 Jun | Father’s Day |
29 Jun | Saint Peter and Saint Paul |
15 Aug | Assumption Day |
8 Sep | Feast of Our Lady of Victories |
21 Sep | Independence Day |
8 Dec | Immaculate Conception Day |
13 Dec | Republic Day |
25 Dec | Christmas Day |
🏖 Vacation leave in Malta
Employees in Malta are entitled to 24 days of paid vacation leave, plus any national holidays in lieu which happen to fall on a Sunday in that year.
😷 Sick leave in Malta
Employees in Malta are entitled to 20 days of paid sick leave, compensated at full pay. They may also be able to extend this by another 20 days in some circumstances.
👶 Maternity and paternity leave in Malta
Female employees in Malta are entitled to 14 weeks of paid maternity leave, with a minimum of six weeks made available after they give birth. The pay is a flat rate, with more available for single mothers.
💰 Employee severance and terminations in Malta
Employees in Malta are generally entitled to notice periods prior to termination. The required minimum notice period varies based on the employee’s length of service, ranging from one week to eight weeks of notice.
🏦 Tax laws in Malta
Both employers and employees in Malta generally need to contribute equal amounts to the country’s social security schemes. The amount can vary, but is usually around 10% of salary.
The income tax rate in Malta ranges from 0% to 35%, depending on income level and whether a person is single or married.
The corporate tax rate for most businesses in Malta is 35%.
🏥 Health insurance in Malta
Employees in Malta have access to the country’s socialized healthcare system, but some employers may still choose to offer private insurance in some cases.
💳 Malta compensations & benefits
Compensation laws in Malta
The national minimum wage in Malta is €179.33 per week for full-time employees over the age of 18.
Benefit management in Malta
It can be difficult to understand and set up employee benefits in Malta, and it can require a lot of time, effort, and investment on the part of employers. However, it is crucial that you adhere to compensation and benefits laws as you can be subject to large fines and legal issues if you fail to.
Outsourcing your benefit management process can save you time and money, and ensure you are fully compliant with the relevant laws. Horizons can simplify your Malta benefits management, with our Malta experts setting up and managing everything for you to help you focus on a successful expansion operation.
Request a Proposal
Why choose Horizons' services for your expansion into Malta?
Horizons’ Malta PEO, employer of record, and payroll services enable your business to rapidly begin trading in Malta, in compliance with all employment and benefits laws. This allows your business to commence operations in Malta in as little as 48 hours, and could save you up to 82% in expansion costs, whether or not you have a legal entity in the country.
Horizons can manage your company’s payroll, benefits, and expenses in Malta. Additionally, we can oversee HR duties, as well as employment and tax compliance. And as the only global PEO with an in-house recruitment team, Horizons will source, hire, and onboard your local workforce.
Contact us today to discover how our Malta-specific services can support your expansion.
