My probation period was extended without warning. Is that legal?

Probation periods and their maximum permissible length in Malta are governed by the Employment and Industrial Relations Act, Chapter 452 of the Laws of Malta, and generally the length of probation is fixed either by the applicable wage regulation order for your sector or by what is agreed in your contract, subject to statutory maximums, meaning an employer cannot simply extend probation indefinitely or arbitrarily beyond what the law and your contract permit, without your genuine agreement or a specific legal basis for doing so, such as a period of extended sick leave during probation in some circumstances. Ask your employer to confirm the extension and its stated legal basis in writing rather than relying on a verbal statement, since this affects your notice and dismissal protections, given that probationary employees generally have a much shorter notice period and fewer protections against termination than confirmed employees. If the extension does not have a valid contractual or legal basis, you may be entitled to treat your probation as having ended on the original date, and you can seek clarification from the Department of Industrial and Employment Relations if your employer does not properly justify the change.