Malta sets birth rate growth targets after years of decline 

Malta has set official targets to boost its national birth rate after years of decline. 

The national birth rate as of 2026 is estimated at 1.01 – 1.02 live births per woman, one of the lowest rates in the world. 

However, the new Vision 2050 strategy envisages increasing the rate to 1.01 – 1.04 next year, with incremental annual increases until it reaches a rate higher than 1.3 by 2035.  

This would place Malta’s birth rate around the current EU average of 1.38 live births per woman. 

However, it would still be well below the 2.1 replacement rate required for a population to exactly replace itself between generations without migration. 

Vision 2050 says the Government will adopt a multi-pronged approach to improve the birth rate, including financial support such as the tax cuts for parents announced in the last Budget. 

Other policies include strengthening family leave policies and work-life balance options, promoting healthier lifestyles to support reproductive health, improving IVF services, and supporting families with dependent children or caregiving responsibilities.