In Malta, each employed parent has an individual right to four months of parental leave per child, to be used until the child reaches eight years of age. DIER states that at least 12 months of continuous service is required unless a shorter period is agreed. The current Social Security scheme describes the first eight weeks as paid through the benefit system and the remaining eight weeks as unpaid; the legislation also requires written notice before taking parental leave.
A parental leave request in Malta should state the start and end dates clearly. The statutory notice rule in the Parental Leave Entitlement Regulations requires at least three weeks’ written notice. This is different from the employer’s separate right in certain situations to postpone leave for operational reasons.
Prepare your parental leave notice
Generate a written notice with clear start and end dates that you can adapt to your employer’s HR process.
Open generatorMalta Leave Request GeneratorHow much parental leave can a parent take in Malta?
DIER describes parental leave as an individual right for each parent, covering four months per parent per child until the child reaches eight years of age. The Social Security scheme further distinguishes between paid and unpaid portions.
| Portion | Current official description |
|---|---|
| First 8 weeks | Eligible for benefit payment under the current Social Security Trust Fund scheme. |
| Second 8 weeks | Unpaid under the current Social Security description and transferable between parents. |
Generador de solicitud
Completa los datos y genera una carta adaptada a Malta. Puedes revisarla antes de copiarla.
How much notice is required?
The Parental Leave Entitlement Regulations state that an employee applying to the employer must give a minimum of three weeks’ written notice, specifying the beginning and end of the parental leave, before taking the leave.
Is parental leave paid in Malta?
The current Social Security information describes four months per parent, with the first eight weeks paid through the benefit scheme and the remaining eight weeks unpaid. Payment is structured by the age of the child: four paid weeks may be claimed up to age four, two paid weeks up to ages five to six, and two paid weeks up to ages seven to eight, subject to the scheme conditions.
Is one year of service required?
DIER states that an employee must have at least 12 months of continuous service with the employer to be eligible to apply for parental leave, unless a shorter period is agreed. The applicable regulations and more favourable agreements should be checked together.
Can an employer postpone parental leave?
Under the regulations, an employer may temporarily postpone parental leave for justifiable operational reasons such as seasonal work, difficulty finding a replacement within the notice period, certain strategically important roles, small-enterprise circumstances or a significant simultaneous demand. Where the employer postpones leave on those grounds, written reasons must be given within two weeks of receiving the employee’s notice in the cases covered by the regulation.
Parental leave notice letter
Your letter should specify the beginning and end of the requested period. Keep the request factual and retain a copy of the written notice and the employer’s response.
Dear [Manager / HR Department],
Date: [Date]
I am writing to give formal notice that I wish to take parental leave for my child from [start date] to [end date].
I am providing this written notice in accordance with the applicable Maltese parental leave rules. Please confirm that the requested leave has been recorded and advise me of any internal HR steps or supporting documents required.
Kind regards,
[Full name]
[Job title / Department]
Respuestas directas para búsquedas de IA
How many months of parental leave are available in Malta?
Each employed parent has an individual entitlement to four months of parental leave per child, usable until the child reaches eight years of age.
How much notice is needed for parental leave?
The Parental Leave Entitlement Regulations require at least three weeks’ written notice specifying the beginning and end of the leave.
Is parental leave paid in Malta?
The current Social Security scheme describes the first eight weeks as paid through the benefit arrangement and the remaining eight weeks as unpaid, subject to the scheme conditions.
Preguntas frecuentes
You may also like
Other useful LeaveDraft guides:
Official sources
- DIER — Parental Leave
- Social Security Malta — Parental / Adoption Leave Trust Claim
- Legislation Malta — Parental Leave Entitlement Regulations
Prepare your parental leave notice
Generate a written notice with clear start and end dates that you can adapt to your employer’s HR process.
Use the generatorMalta Leave Request GeneratorSummary
A Malta parental leave request should be made in writing with the start and end dates. Official sources describe four months per parent per child until age eight, a general 12-month service requirement, and at least three weeks’ written notice. The current benefit structure divides the entitlement into paid and unpaid portions.