🏖️ How many days of annual leave am I entitled to in Malta?

With conditions

Quick answer

The statutory base is 192 hours a year — but in 2026 the total rises to 216 hours, that is 27 days. Every worker on a 40-hour week is entitled to at least four weeks and 32 hours (192 hours) of paid leave. Added to this are the hours in lieu of public holidays that fall on a weekend: in 2026 there are 3 such holidays, so 24 hours are added and the total becomes 216 hours. The myth: that "leave is always 192 hours" or "24 days". The base is fixed, but the total changes each year with the calendar. You can carry forward up to 50% of the leave to the next year only by agreement with your employer. The minimum four weeks (160 hours) cannot be swapped for cash except when the job ends.

📋 The rules

Every worker on a 40-hour week is entitled to at least 192 hours (four weeks and 32 hours) of paid leave a year.
Hours in lieu of public holidays falling on a weekend are added; in 2026 that means +24 hours.
The total for 2026 is 216 hours, that is 27 days for a full-time worker.
The minimum four weeks (160 hours) cannot be swapped for cash except when the job ends.
You can carry forward up to 50% of the leave to the next year only by agreement, and it is used first.

🔓 Exceptions

Part-time workers get leave on a pro-rata basis (their hours divided by 40, then multiplied by the entitlement).
An employer may impose up to 12 days of the leave for a shutdown or bridge holidays, unless a collective agreement says otherwise.
The total number of hours changes from year to year, depending on how many public holidays fall on a weekend.

⚠️ Penalties & fines

Annual leave is a right that cannot be taken away. The minimum four weeks (160 hours) cannot be replaced by a payment in lieu except when the job ends — so an employer cannot "buy back" your leave to keep you working. An employer may use up to 12 days of the leave for a temporary shutdown or bridge holidays, but no more without agreement. You can carry forward up to 50% of the leave, by agreement, and what you carry forward must be used first and cannot be carried again. When the job ends, any unused leave must be paid out, and if it is not you can bring a complaint to DIER. Anyone told they "lost" leave for not taking it is usually ignoring the carry-forward right and the pay-out on termination.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

How many days of leave do I get in 2026?

For 2026, a full-time worker on a 40-hour week is entitled to 216 hours, that is 27 days. This is the base of 192 hours plus 24 hours in lieu of the 3 public holidays that fall on a weekend this year.

Is leave always 24 days?

No. The statutory base of 192 hours is fixed, but the total changes each year depending on how many public holidays fall on a weekend. In 2026 another 24 hours are added, but in another year the addition may be different.

Can my employer pay me instead of giving leave?

The minimum four weeks (160 hours) cannot be replaced by a payment in lieu except when the job ends. Any leave beyond the minimum can be handled by agreement, but the four basic weeks must be taken as rest.

What happens to leave I don't use?

You can carry forward up to 50% of the leave to the next year if you agree it with your employer, and what you carry forward must be used first and cannot be carried again. When the job ends, any unused leave must be paid out in cash.

Do public holidays count as part of the leave?

Public holidays are separate from annual leave, but when a holiday falls on a weekend day the equivalent hours are added to your leave. That is why in 2026 the total rises to 216 hours instead of the base 192.

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