{"id":13056,"date":"2026-06-15T14:19:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T12:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/?p=13056"},"modified":"2026-06-15T14:20:02","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T12:20:02","slug":"maltas-introduces-new-equal-pay-transparency-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expatax.mt\/fr\/maltas-introduces-new-equal-pay-transparency-rules\/","title":{"rendered":"Malta Introduces New Equal Pay Transparency Rules"},"content":{"rendered":"

Malta has formally introduced new pay transparency requirements through the Equal Pay (Transparency and Reporting) Regulations, 2026 (Legal Notice 173 of 2026)<\/a>, which were published in the Government Gazette on 5 June 2026 as part of Malta’s transposition of the EU Pay Transparency Directive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The regulations entered into force on 7 June 2026 and introduce a range of new obligations for employers relating to recruitment, remuneration policies, employee access to pay information and gender pay gap reporting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although some reporting requirements will only become applicable in future years, several important obligations are already in force. Businesses operating in Malta should therefore begin reviewing their recruitment procedures, remuneration structures and internal HR policies to ensure compliance with the new legal framework.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The regulations represent one of the most significant developments in Maltese employment law in recent years. Their purpose is to strengthen the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value by increasing transparency around remuneration decisions and enabling employees to better understand how pay is determined within their organisation. For employers, the message is clear: remuneration decisions must increasingly be supported by objective, documented and gender-neutral criteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Changes <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The new regulations introduce several important changes, including:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. A ban on asking job applicants about their salary history<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. New requirements to disclose salary information during recruitment<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Enhanced employee rights to request pay information<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Obligations to establish objective and gender-neutral pay criteria<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Mandatory gender pay gap reporting for larger employers<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Potential joint pay assessments where significant unjustified pay gaps exist<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Stronger enforcement measures and administrative penalties<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. New record-keeping obligations<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Salary History Questions Are No Longer Permitted<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    One of the most immediate changes affects the hiring process<\/a>. Employers can no longer ask job applicants about their current or previous salary<\/a>. The purpose of this rule is to help prevent old pay inequalities from carrying over into new jobs. Instead, employers should set salaries based on factors such as a candidate’s skills, qualifications, experience and the responsibilities of the role. Businesses should review their recruitment procedures and remove any salary history questions from application forms, interviews and hiring policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Salary Information Must Be Disclosed During Recruitment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The regulations also introduce greater transparency for job applicants. Candidates must be informed of the initial salary or salary range applicable to a position before the recruitment process is concluded. This information may be included directly in a vacancy notice or communicated during the recruitment process before an employment offer is finalised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In addition, employers must ensure that job advertisements and job titles are gender-neutral. For many employers, this will require a more structured approach to salary benchmarking and workforce planning. Pay ranges should ideally be determined before recruitment begins rather than negotiated without reference to established criteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Employees Now Have a Right to Request Pay Information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The new framework gives employees greater access to information regarding remuneration. Employees may request information concerning their individual pay level and average pay levels, broken down by gender, for employees performing the same work or work of equal value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n