Data Sources
1
ILO / WB / OECD coverage
The World Bank rates Malta's labor-regulation quality at 79.0/100 in the 2025 B-READY release.
Malta scores 79.0/100 on the World Bank B-READY labor-regulation quality index. Data is compiled from 1 official source (World Bank B-READY 2025), covering statutory notice periods, severance pay, and dismissal procedures.
Malta - the verdict
Malta scores 79.0/100 on the World Bank B-READY labor-regulation quality index.
Sources: World Bank B-READY 2025. Higher = stronger statutory protection.
Malta ranks high on the World Bank B-READY 2025 labor regulation quality index, scoring 79.0/100, placing it among the stronger regulatory environments globally.
Europe. Covered by 1/3 tracked datasets. EU membership means its labor rules are also shaped by directives on collective redundancies, transfers of undertakings, and fixed-term work. B-READY 2025 labor score: 79.0/100, comparatively strong.
Dismissal process: slow, ~8.3 weeks. No 3rd-party approval required for individual dismissal.
Formal labor dispute resolution is notably slow, averaging 7.1 months from filing to outcome. A moderate share of firms, 5.5% in the World Bank's survey, report experiencing a labor dispute. Employer social contributions are substantial here, 15.0% of salary, a significant cost layer beyond base pay. 6 peer comparisons below.
These figures draw on three different measurement traditions, so read each one on its own terms before comparing across countries. The ILO EPLex composite condenses statutory termination rules into a single index from zero to one, where higher numbers mean stronger legal protection against dismissal. The World Bank Business Ready 2025 labor score runs from zero to one hundred and blends the quality of regulation with how well public services and dispute processes actually work in practice. The OECD employment protection index uses a zero to six scale and only covers member economies, but it offers the longest historical series, which makes it the better choice for tracking reform over time. A country can score strictly on paper yet still process dismissals quickly, so always weigh the statutory index against the practical estimates. Where a country appears in fewer than all three datasets, treat the missing measures as not yet collected rather than as a sign of weak protection, and revisit this page when new releases are published because indicators can shift year over year.
Data Sources
1
ILO / WB / OECD coverage
Region
Europe
Geographic grouping
Latest Year
2025
Most recent indicator update
Source: World Bank Business Ready 2025 World Bank Business Ready 2025 Pillar scores are 0-100 (higher = better regulation quality)
World Bank B-READY labor regulation quality: 79.0/100. (1 source.)
Not an OECD member; B-READY score 79.0/100.
notice mandated; severance not mandated.
1 source: World Bank B-READY 2025.
3rd-party approval not required; dismissal ~8.3 weeks.
disputes resolve in ~7.1mo; 5.5% of firms report one; social contributions 15.0% of salary.
What to do with this
Use Malta's scores as a comparison benchmark, not legal advice.
These indices reflect the law as written, not how it is enforced, recent amendments, or the facts of any individual case. For a real decision, confirm the current statute and consult a qualified employment lawyer, see our disclaimer.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from OECD, ILO, and World Bank labor market databases. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Primary sources: ILO EPLex, World Bank B-READY, OECD EPL.
PlainEmploy is rendered directly from the OECD Employment Protection Legislation indicators, the ILO EPLex database, and the World Bank B-READY labor pillar, no number is typed in by an editor. This country's composite scores and comparisons are computed directly from the underlying OECD/EPLex/B-READY tables, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-07-06.