Minimum wage amounts

From 1 January 2024 the minimum wage is fixed per hour. The statutory minimum wage is the amount payable per hour before tax. Statutory means required by law. Everyone aged 15 and over must be paid at least the applicable hourly minimum wage. How much you earn per week or per month depends on your official number of working hours. If you and your employer have agreed on a fixed number of working hours per week, you can agree a fixed monthly salary. As of 2024 there is no longer a monthly, weekly or daily minimum wage.

Hourly minimum wage for all employees

As of 1 January 2024, employers are required by law to pay workers at least the hourly minimum wage. The hourly minimum wage is the same for all employees aged 21 years and older. The hourly minimum wage for employees under 21 depends on their age. The rates for young people are calculated on the basis of the general hourly minimum wage, as was the case in 2023.

Table: Hourly minimum wage before tax as of 1 January 2024, by age

Age Hourly minimum wage
21 years and older €13.27
20 years €10.62
19 years €7.96
18 years €6.64
17 years €5.24
16 years €4.58
15 years €3.98

How much will I earn per week or per month?

If you earn the hourly minimum wage, the amount you earn per week or month will depend on your official number of working hours. Your official working hours include at least the following:

  • The hours you work;
  • The hours you take as holiday leave;
  • The hours when you are entitled to pay but cannot work due to illness.

Your official number of working hours can be different every month, because some months have more working days than others. 

Example of weekly earnings calculation

You are 38 years old and work flexible shifts in week 25 (17 to 23 June 2024 ). You earn the hourly minimum wage. For that week, your earnings are calculated as follows. 

  • Hours worked in week 25
    • Monday 17 June: 5 hours
    • Wednesday 19 June: 8 hours
    • Thursday 20 June: 5 hours
  • Total number of hours worked in week 25: 18 hours
  • Statutory minimum wage for people aged 21 and older: €13.27 per hour
  • Weekly earnings = total number of hours worked in that week x statutory minimum wage
  • Earnings in week 25 = 18 hours worked x €13.27
  • Earnings in week 25: €238.86

Example of monthly earnings calculation

You are 54 years old and work 24 hours per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. You earn the hourly minimum wage. Your earnings in February 2024 are calculated as follows.

  • Hours worked February 2024
    • Week 5: 16 hours
    • Week 6: 24 hours
    • Week 7: 24 hours
    • Week 8: 24 hours
    •  Week 9: 16 hours
  • Total hours worked in February 2024: 104 hours
  • Statutory minimum wage for people aged 21 and older: €13.27 per hour
  • Monthly earnings = total number of hours worked in that month x statutory minimum wage
  • Earnings in February 2024 = 104 hours worked x €13.27
  • Earnings in February 2024: €1,380.08

Agreeing on a monthly salary

If you and your employer have agreed on a fixed number of working hours per week, you can agree a fixed monthly salary based on the average number of hours you work each month. This average is calculated on the basis of the total number of hours you work in a calendar year. Arrangements like this are typically set out in collective labour agreements. But you can also agree this in your individual employment contract. 

Example of a monthly salary calculation

You are 26 years old and work 40 hours a week from Monday to Friday. You earn the hourly minimum wage. Your monthly salary for 2024 is calculated as follows.

  • Number of working days in the 2024 calendar year based on your schedule (Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays) = 262 working days
  • Number of working hours per working day: 40 hours per week ÷ 5 working days = 8 working hours per day
  • Number of working hours in 2024: 262 working days x 8 working hours per working day = 2,096 working hours in 2024
  • Statutory hourly minimum wage for people aged 21 and older: €13.27 per hour 
  • Fixed salary per month = (number of working hours in 2024 ÷ 12 months) x statutory minimum wage
  • Average number of working hours per month in 2024: (2,096 working hours in 2024 ÷ 12 months = 174.6666666667)
  • This comes to an average of 174 2/3 working hours per month 
  • Fixed monthly salary = 174 2/3 working hours x €13.27 per hour
  • Fixed monthly salary: €2,317.83

Note:

  • It is not advisable to round down the average number of working hours per month, as this can lead to underpayment.
  • The number of working days varies per calendar year. For instance, there are 52 Wednesdays in 2024 and 53 in 2025. If you work one day more in 2025 than in 2024, your employer has to pay you for that extra day. 
  • Different people may have different numbers of working days in the same calendar year depending on which days they work. For instance, there are 52 Wednesdays and 52 Thursdays in 2024, but there are 53 Mondays and 53 Tuesdays. That means that if you work on Mondays and Tuesdays in 2024, you will work more days than someone who works on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Your employer has to pay you for those extra days.