The process of determining the minimum wage for 2026 enters the consultation phase, following the official invitation from Labor and Social Insurance Minister Niki Kerameos to social partners and scientific bodies.
Read: Minimum wage 2026: What the increase scenarios predict – New data from April
In the next stage, both the Consultation Committee and the Scientific Committee are called to submit their recommendations and memoranda, which will be utilized to shape the final proposal.
Minimum wage determination: Who participates in the process
The Consultation Committee consists of five representatives from workers, five representatives from employer organizations, and the president of the Mediation and Arbitration Organization (OMED). Meanwhile, the five-member Scientific Committee is composed of independent experts in economics and labor market fields, appointed by the relevant ministries and the Hellenic Statistical Authority, with participation from the president of the Council of Economic Experts.
The findings of both committees will be sent to the Centre for Planning and Economic Research (KEPE), which will compile the draft conclusions of the consultation process.
The final recommendation will be submitted to the ministerial council, with the goal of implementing the new minimum wage from April 2026.
The government’s target for 2027
The Labor Minister has repeatedly emphasized that the government commitment remains active for the minimum wage to reach €950 and the average wage to reach €1,500 by 2027.
It should be noted that the entry-level salary in the public sector has already been equalized with the minimum wage of the private sector, with parallel horizontal adjustment of salary scales.
According to the Labor Ministry, the increase is based on two fundamental pillars: strengthening workers’ disposable income and the resilience of the economy, businesses, and public finances.
Where the minimum wage stands today
Today the minimum wage amounts to €880, while the minimum daily wage for skilled workers is set at €39.30.
From 2019 to 2025, the minimum wage has increased by a total of 35.4%, directly benefiting workers in both private and public sectors, as well as allowances and benefits connected to it. Simultaneously, this rise pulls the average wage upward.
Ministry officials note that the new increase comes during a period of steady labor market improvement, with unemployment having declined to 8.2% and more than 500,000 new jobs created since 2019.
What changes from 2028 in the calculation method
From mid-2027, a new mechanism for determining the minimum wage will be implemented. According to the new model, the annual increase will result from the combination of:
- the change in the Consumer Price Index for households in the lowest 20% income bracket and
- half of the annual change in the purchasing power of the General Wage Index.
The philosophy of the new system is to link the minimum wage with real economic data, enhancing transparency, predictability, and worker protection, as it is stipulated that it cannot be reduced.
