Salaries for public sector and local government employees will be boosted by €40 per month following the next payroll calculation based on the new private sector minimum wage. The directive to payroll administrators to activate the increases comes from a circular on “Adjustment of basic salaries for public sector personnel for 2026,” signed by Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance, Thanos Petralia. According to this circular, from April 1, 2026, the basic entry-level salary for newly appointed employees with mandatory education qualifications in the public sector increases to €920 gross, up from €880 until March 31. This represents a 4.5% increase compared to last year — significantly higher than 2025 inflation which stood at 2.9%.
Read: How employee compensation is structured in the labor market: Everything you need to know
New public sector and local government salaries: detailed examples
The increase covers the entire public sector spectrum. Specifically, it affects:
- Administrative employees of central administration, first and second-tier local authorities, public legal entities
- Employees of public utilities and general government entities (excluding General Directors of certain organizations, Hellenic Post, and Thessaloniki International Fair)
- Judicial officials and National School of Judges personnel
- Security forces, armed forces personnel and military academy cadets
- Healthcare personnel (NHS doctors, nurses, paramedical staff)
- University faculty and researchers
- Educators at all levels (primary school teachers, kindergarten teachers, secondary education teachers) and private sector educators, as these specific private employees’ salaries follow those of public employees, receive no “bonuses” like other private sector workers, but get 12 instead of 14 monthly salaries
- Permanent, probationary and fixed-term employees in all above categories
Petralia’s guidelines: how the increase is implemented
Based on the circular (protocol no. YPETHOO 54692 EX 2026 – ADA: ΨΕ7ΨΗ-ΚΧΧ, 3/4/2026):
- A horizontal €40 increase is granted: basic salaries of all pay scales, as in effect until March 31, 2026, are increased by €40 from April 1, 2026. The increase is fixed — not calculated in any provided multiplication for determining basic salary, which is significant for special pay scales with coefficients, such as in Armed Forces and Security Corps.
- The increase is not offset against any personal allowance being paid, with the exception of special regulations for Security Corps (Law 5246/2025) and Armed Forces (Law 5265/2026).
Increases with examples
The fiscal cost of the increases is estimated at €358 million for 2026. However, combined salary increases and tax relief for public employees approach €1 billion for this year.
For example:
A. Uniformed personnel
- A Greek Police officer with the rank of Police Officer B’, Category A’, with 15 years of total service. On March 31, 2026, they received a basic salary of €1,860 [1,824 (pay grade 8) × 1.02 = 1,860.48]. From April 1, 2026, they receive a basic salary of €1,900.
- Probationary Sub-Inspectors and equivalents studying in their first year at the Police Officers’ Academy received a basic salary of €713 on March 31, 2026 [54% of the basic salary of pay grade 1 of Category A’ (1,320 × 54%)]. From April 1, 2026, they receive a basic salary of €734 [(1320+40) × 54%].
- Probationary Police Constables and equivalents in Security Corps studying in their second year at the Police Constables’ Academy received a basic salary of €401 on March 31, 2026 [35% of the basic salary of pay grade 1 of Category B’ (1,145 × 35%)]. From April 1, 2026, they receive a basic salary of €415 [(1145+40) × 35%].
- A Colonel with 30 years of service. On March 31, 2026, they received a basic salary of €2,808 [2,600 × 1.08 = 2,808]. From April 1, 2026, they receive a basic salary of €2,848.
- Reserve Officer Cadets received a basic salary of €924 on March 31, 2026 [70% of the basic salary of pay grade 1 of Category A’ (1,320 × 70%)]. From April 1, 2026, they receive a basic salary of €952 [(1320+40) × 70%].
- Students at Higher Schools for Permanent Non-Commissioned Officers received a basic salary of €275 on March 31, 2026 [24% of the basic salary of the entry pay grade of Category B’ (1,145 × 24%)]. From April 1, 2026, they receive a basic salary of €284 [(1,145 + 40) × 24%].
B. Civil servants
From the combination of increases and tax reductions already in effect from January 1, 2026, new salaries are expected to change as follows, according to data and examples from the Ministry of Finance:
Example 1:
University-educated employee (e.g., teacher, engineer, economist), without managerial position, 2 children, 20 years of service:
– December 2023 received €1,752 gross or €1,232 net
– December 2025 received €1,902 gross or €1,346 net
– from January 2026 (with tax reduction) receives €1,385 net
– from April 2026 receives €1,942 gross or €1,410 net
– the €40 increase yields €25 net per month
– combined with tax relief from January 1, 2026, monthly benefit reaches €64 and annually €771 (compared to 2023, €178/month net or €2,135/year).
Example 2:
- Technical education employee, without managerial position, 3 children, 20 years of service:
– December 2023 received €1,707 gross or €1,224 net
– December 2025 received €1,857 gross or €1,338 net
– from January 2026 (with tax reduction) receives €1,417 net
– from April 2026 receives €1,897 gross or €1,445 net
– the €40 increase yields €28 net per month.
– combined with tax relief, monthly benefit reaches €107 or annually €1,286. Compared to 2023, the increase amounts to €221/month net, or €2,647/year.
New salaries from April 1st – detailed tables
Table 1 — University Education Category
(Including PE educators, engineers, economists, lawyers, NPDD doctors, etc.)
0-2 years (pay grade 1): €1,232
2-4 years (pay grade 2): €1,291
4-6 years (pay grade 3): €1,350
6-8 years (pay grade 4): €1,409
8-10 years (pay grade 5): €1,468
10-12 years (pay grade 6): €1,527
12-14 years (pay grade 7): €1,586
14-16 years (pay grade 8): €1,645
16-18 years (pay grade 9): €1,704
18-20 years (pay grade 10): €1,763
20-22 years (pay grade 11): €1,822
22-24 years (pay grade 12): €1,881
24-26 years (pay grade 13): €1,940
26-28 years (pay grade 14): €1,999
28-30 years (pay grade 15): €2,058
30-32 years (pay grade 16): €2,117
32-34 years (pay grade 17): €2,176
34-36 years (pay grade 18): €2,235
36-38 years (pay grade 19): €2,294
Service and General Secretaries: €3,371
Special Positions 1st grade: €2,940
Special Positions 2nd grade / Special Secretaries / General Directors / Regional Education Directors / Decentralized Administration Coordinators: €2,725
Public Administration Inspectors-Auditors: €2,100
General Director: €1,960
Table 2 — Technical Education Category
(Technologists, TE nurses, accountants, etc.)
0-2 years (pay grade 1): €1,177
2-4 years (pay grade 2): €1,232
4-6 years (pay grade 3): €1,287
6-8 years (pay grade 4): €1,342
8-10 years (pay grade 5): €1,397
10-12 years (pay grade 6): €1,452
12-14 years (pay grade 7): €1,507
14-16 years (pay grade 8): €1,562
16-18 years (pay grade 9): €1,617
18-20 years (pay grade 10): €1,672
20-22 years (pay grade 11): €1,727
22-24 years (pay grade 12): €1,782
24-26 years (pay grade 13): €1,837
26-28 years (pay grade 14): €1,892
28-30 years (pay grade 15): €1,947
30-32 years (pay grade 16): €2,002
32-34 years (pay grade 17): €2,057
34-36 years (pay grade 18): €2,112
36-38 years (pay grade 19): €2,167
Table 3 – Secondary Education Category
(Administrative, technical, drivers, assistant nurses, etc.)
0-3 years (pay grade 1): €998
3-6 years (pay grade 2): €1,058
6-9 years (pay grade 3): €1,118
9-12 years (pay grade 4): €1,178
12-15 years (pay grade 5): €1,238
15-18 years (pay grade 6): €1,298
18-21 years (pay grade 7): €1,358
21-24 years (pay grade 8): €1,418
24-27 years (pay grade 9): €1,478
27-30 years (pay grade 10): €1,538
30-33 years (pay grade 11): €1,598
33-36 years (pay grade 12): €1,658
36-39 years (pay grade 13): €1,718
Table 4 – Mandatory Education Category
(New appointees without high school diploma, workers, guards, cleaners, etc.)
0-3 years (pay grade 1): €920 (= new minimum wage)
3-6 years (pay grade 2): €963
6-9 years (pay grade 3): €1,006
9-12 years (pay grade 4): €1,049
12-15 years (pay grade 5): €1,092
15-18 years (pay grade 6): €1,135
18-21 years (pay grade 7): €1,178
21-24 years (pay grade 8): €1,221
24-27 years (pay grade 9): €1,264
27-30 years (pay grade 10): €1,307
30-33 years (pay grade 11): €1,350
33-36 years (pay grade 12): €1,393
36-39 years (pay grade 13): €1,436
New maximum salary limits
The maximum salary and additional compensation limits referenced in Petralia’s circular are set from April 1, 2026, as follows:
– Judicial Officials / NSK: €8,846.40
– Armed Forces Personnel: €7,390
– NHS Doctors: €6,928
– Security Forces Personnel: €6,530
– University Faculty: €5,383.63
– Ministry General Secretary: €5,191
