Malta
Worked in Malta? Any pension you built up here is yours to keep and can usually be paid to you abroad — but you have to claim it; it won't start automatically. The full state pension age is 65, with early access from 61. On totalization, Malta has bilateral totalization agreements, so the years you worked here may combine with other countries you've worked in. Below is Malta's system at a glance and what expats should check.
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Overview
Malta operates a Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) mandatory state pension (Pillar 1) funded through social security contributions under the Social Security Act (Cap. 318).
The primary benefit is the Two-Thirds Pension, an earnings-related contributory retirement pension calculated as two-thirds of the pensionable income based on the best years of contributions. A National Minimum Pension acts as a safety net for those with insufficient contribution histories, and a non-contributory Age Pension (means-tested) exists for those who do not qualify for contributory benefits.
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A separate Service Pension applies to public officers under the Pensions Ordinance (Cap. 93). The 2025 Strategic Pensions Report (published January 2026, public consultation closed April 2026) found the system 'fundamentally sound', with the sustainability crossover point extended from 2051 to 2054 due to strong contributor growth. Following this review, the government has explicitly ruled out increasing the retirement age or social security contribution rates.
The Maximum Pensionable Income (MPI) is being harmonised across all birth cohorts, with a single MPI for all pensioners targeted by 2028. From 2026, all retirement pension income is fully exempt from Maltese income tax for individuals aged 61 and over, up to €37,104 annually (LN 53 of 2026), completing a five-year phased exemption programme that began in 2022. Pillar 2 voluntary occupational pension schemes have existed since 2015 but participation remains critically low (approximately 2% of working-age population as of end-2024).
A public consultation on a proposed auto-enrolment occupational pension regime closed in July 2025; the government and MFSA are preparing a Feedback Statement, with private sector implementation originally proposed for June 2026. Pillar 3 personal retirement schemes (PRS) are regulated by the MFSA and benefit from tax incentives including a 25% tax credit on contributions up to €3,000/year.
~39% (public scheme benefit ratio 2022; projected to decline to ~33% by 2070; Two-Thirds Pension theoretically up to 66.7% of pensionable income for maximum contributors; maximum pension in 2026 approximately €383/week including COLA, based on MPI of €29,083)
Pillar 1: Mandatory contributory state pension (PAYG, earnings-related Two-Thirds Pension and flat-rate National Minimum Pension) plus non-contributory Age Pension (means-tested). Pillar 2: Voluntary Occupational Pension Schemes (established 2015; auto-enrolment regime proposed — public consultation closed July 2025, Feedback Statement pending; ~2% participation as of end-2024; six licensed providers). Pillar 3: Voluntary Personal Retirement Schemes (PRS), regulated by MFSA, with tax incentives since 2015 (25% tax credit on contributions up to €3,000/year, up to €750/year back).
Bismarckian (earnings-related, contributory PAYG) with means-tested non-contributory safety net and voluntary supplementary pillars
Employee
10% of basic weekly wage (Class 1, employed persons; graduated scale with fixed euro amounts at lower wage bands; maximum weekly contribution €55.93 for those born 1962+ in 2026)
Employer
10% of basic weekly wage (Class 1; equal to employee share; graduated scale; maximum weekly contribution €55.93 for those born 1962+ in 2026)
Self-Employed
Class 2 (self-occupied): 15% of annual net income from previous year; maximum weekly contribution €83.89 for those born 1962+ in 2026. Class 3 (self-employed with passive income only): reduced rates apply under specific conditions.
Notes
Contribution rates increased by approximately 3% from 1 January 2026 (routine annual threshold adjustment). Rates themselves (10% employee/employer, 15% self-employed) remain unchanged — the government has explicitly ruled out any rate increases following the 2025 Strategic Pensions Review. Maximum 52–53 contribution weeks per year; maximum average of 50 weeks/year counts for pension calculation; minimum 15 weeks/year average for Two-Thirds Pension eligibility (20 weeks/year for Service Pension holders). Credits granted for unemployment, sickness, child-raising (4 years per child for first 3 children; 8 years for a disabled child; 2 years from 4th child onwards), education, and from January 2026, addiction programme completion (up to 2 years). Social security contributions paid before age 18 now count toward pension entitlement (Budget 2026). From 2026, employment is no longer required to make voluntary contributions solely to meet the 10-year minimum eligibility threshold.
Common questions
What is the retirement age in Malta?
The full state pension age in Malta is 65. Early retirement may be possible from 61.
Can I claim a Malta pension if I live abroad?
Yes. A pension you've earned in Malta stays yours wherever you retire, and can usually be paid into an overseas account once you reach pension age. It won't start automatically, though — you need to claim it, typically a few months in advance, through Malta's pension authority.
Do totalization agreements affect my Malta pension?
Malta has bilateral social-security (totalization) agreements. These can let you combine the years you worked in Malta with years in partner countries to meet a minimum qualifying period, so short stints aren't wasted. Which partners and rules apply depends on your own work history.
How is the pension system structured in Malta?
Bismarckian (earnings-related, contributory PAYG) with means-tested non-contributory safety net and voluntary supplementary pillars Pillar 1: Mandatory contributory state pension (PAYG, earnings-related Two-Thirds Pension and flat-rate National Minimum Pension) plus non-contributory Age Pension (means-tested). Pillar 2: Voluntary Occupational Pension Schemes (established 2015; auto-enrolment regime proposed — public consultation closed July 2025, Feedback Statement pending; ~2% participation as of end-2024; six licensed providers). Pillar 3: Voluntary Personal Retirement Schemes (PRS), regulated by MFSA, with tax incentives since 2015 (25% tax credit on contributions up to €3,000/year, up to €750/year back). It includes 5 schemes in our directory.
How do I get a copy of my Malta pension record?
Ask mySocialSecurity for your Contribution record / Rekord tal-kontribuzzjonijiet (the Social security contribution record). It's free and you can request it yourself — our step-by-step guide on this page walks through the portal, what to have ready, and what to do if the login fails.