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ARTICLE · 28 MAY 2026

Malta’s WRO Reform Explained: Key Questions On Updated Conditions Of Work

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Malta’s reform of Wage Regulation Orders (WROs) marks a significant step towards modernising sector-specific employment rules. Now redesignated as Conditions of Work Regulation Orders, the reform aims to simplify existing frameworks...

MaltaEmployment and HR
Dr. Christine Calleja
Dr. Christine Calleja
Jake Buttigieg
Jake Buttigieg
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Malta’s reform of Wage Regulation Orders (WROs) marks a significant step towards modernising sector-specific employment rules. Now redesignated as Conditions of Work Regulation Orders, the reform aims to simplify existing frameworks, align entitlements across sectors, and provide greater clarity for both employers and employees.

Below, we address the key questions arising from the reform, focusing on its purpose, core principles, and the main changes introduced.

Background and Purpose

Q: What is a Conditions of Work Regulation Order?
A: A Conditions of Work Regulation Order is a set of legal rules that provides the minimum conditions of work which must apply in a particular job sector. Traditionally these were known as Wage Regulation Orders (WRO’s) or Wages Council Wage Regulation Orders and were prepared by a works council appointed by the government. The works council was composed of representatives of the sector being regulated, with the WRO’s dating back to the 1950s. Nowadays,

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