Minimum wage in Luxembourg in 2026: how much you take home
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Practical guide · trigger.lu
Minimum wage in Luxembourg in 2026: how much you take home
- Where
- your payslip, basic salary line
- When
- every month, and after every index rise
Details
Full time: at least €2,771.33 gross (€3,325.59 if you're skilled). Part time: at least €16.0192 gross per paid hour (€19.2231 if you're skilled).
- When
- before asking for the skilled SSM
- You need
- diploma
- transcript
- ID document
Details
Without recognition, your employer can refuse the skilled rate. The steps are on our page get your diploma recognised.
- Where
- from your employer or HR
- You need
- copy of the diploma
- employment certificates for your experience
Details
It's up to you to prove your qualification. Keep a copy.
- Cost
- free
Details
The Labour and Mines Inspectorate (ITM) checks that the minimum wage is respected.
This is for you if
- You're about to sign your first contract in Luxembourg and want to know the legal minimum.
- You're coming from France, Portugal or elsewhere and comparing with the wage in your country.
- You have a diploma (CAP, bac pro, BTS, licence…) and wonder whether you're entitled to the extra 20%.
- You're 17, or you have a student job during the holidays.
This isn't for you if your sector has a collective agreement: its pay scale applies, and it is often higher than the SSM.
Key figures
| Item | Value | Year or date |
|---|---|---|
| Unskilled SSM, 18 and over | €2,771.33 gross a month; €16.0192 gross an hour | Since 1 June 2026 (index 992.24) |
| Skilled SSM (+20%) | €3,325.59 gross a month; €19.2231 gross an hour | Since 1 June 2026 |
| Young person aged 17 to 18 (80%) | €2,217.06 gross a month; €12.8154 an hour | Since 1 June 2026 |
| Young person aged 15 to 17 (75%) | €2,078.49 gross a month; €12.0144 an hour | Since 1 June 2026 |
| Pupil or student, holiday job | at least 80% of the SSM for their age | 2026 |
| Previous value (unskilled) | €2,703.74 gross a month | From 1 January to 31 May 2026 (index 968.04) |
| Reference working time | 40 hours a week, 173 hours a month | 2026 |
| Employee social contributions | 2.80% health + 0.25% sickness cash benefits + 8.50% pension, then 1.40% long-term care after an allowance of €692.83 | 2026 (allowance since 1 June 2026) |
| Social minimum wage tax credit (CISSM) | €81 a month from €1,800 to €3,000 gross, tapering off up to €3,600 | 2025 and 2026 |
Skilled or unskilled: who gets 20% more?
You're entitled to the skilled SSM if your job normally requires training with an official diploma, and if you meet one of these conditions:
- a recognised diploma at least equal to the CATP or the DAP (the diplôme d'aptitude professionnelle, ranked at the same European level, level 3, as the French CAP or BEP);
- a CCP (certificat de capacité professionnelle) and 2 years of practice in that trade;
- a CITP (certificat d'initiation technique et professionnelle) and 5 years of practice;
- no diploma, but 10 years of practice in a trade for which a diploma exists;
- 6 years of practice in a technical trade with no official diploma.
Key point: it's the job that counts, not just your diploma. A master's degree doesn't give you the skilled rate if you work as a cashier. It's up to you to provide the proof, with your diplomas or your employment certificates.
From gross to net: Rafael's example
Rafael is 24. He comes from Porto and works full time as a kitchen assistant in Esch-sur-Alzette. He has no diploma in this trade: he gets the unskilled SSM. He's single, with no children, in tax class 1, and his tax withholding card says "CIS yes".
| Line on his payslip (October 2026) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross salary | €2,771.33 |
| Health insurance (3.05%) | − €84.53 |
| Pension insurance (8.50%) | − €235.56 |
| Tax withheld at source, class 1 | about − €153 |
| Long-term care insurance: 1.40% × (2,771.33 − 692.83) | − €29.10 |
| Tax credits: CIS €50 + CI-CO2 €18 + CISSM €81 | + €149 |
| Net paid | about €2,418 |
The tax credits (€149) wipe out almost all the tax (€153): on the minimum wage, you pay hardly any tax. Rafael keeps about 87% of his gross pay.
With the skilled SSM (€3,325.59 gross), the same calculation gives about €2,756 net: the CISSM drops to €37 and the tax rises to about €254.
These amounts are trigger estimates using the method of the Direct Tax Administration (ACD). Your payslip may differ by a few euros. Each line is explained in understand your payslip, and the credits on our page tax credits 2026. Married or a single parent? Your tax class changes the result.
Luxembourg, France, Portugal: the comparison
| Country | Gross minimum wage | Gross hourly rate | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luxembourg (unskilled) | €2,771.33 a month, for 40 h a week | €16.02 | 1 June 2026 |
| France (SMIC) | €1,867.02 a month, for 35 h a week | €12.31 | 1 June 2026 |
| Portugal (mainland) | €920 a month, paid 14 times a year (about €1,073 over 12 months) | not set per hour | 1 January 2026 |
Per hour, the Luxembourg minimum is about 30% higher than the French SMIC. Watch out: Luxembourg counts 40 hours a week, France 35. So compare per hour, not per month.
But housing costs much more in Luxembourg: before accepting an offer, look at rents in our guide to finding a home.
What the index does to your minimum
The SSM follows the index, the automatic indexation of wages to the cost of living. When an index tranche is triggered, all gross wages go up by 2.5%, the SSM included, without you having to do anything. That's what happened on 1 June 2026: the SSM went from €2,703.74 to €2,771.33.
On top of the index, the State revalues the SSM every two years in line with changes in average wages. For how it all works and the effect of a tranche on your net pay, read our guide on the index and calculating your net salary.
What could change
- SSM + 3.8% on 1 January 2027: on 2 October 2026, the Government Council approved a bill that would raise the unskilled SSM to €2,876.60 gross (about €3,451.92 skilled).
- CISSM from €81 to €179 a month on 1 January 2027, then €200 on 1 July 2027: this is bill no. 8775, tabled on 22 June 2026.
As of 9 October 2026, neither of these two texts has been passed by the Chamber of Deputies. The amounts on this page are still the ones that apply.
Common mistakes
- Comparing with France per month: 40 hours here, 35 there. You overestimate the gap if you forget the hours.
- Not asking for the skilled rate: your employer won't guess. Without a written request and proof, you lose €554 gross a month.
- Keeping a foreign diploma that isn't recognised: your employer can refuse the skilled SSM until the equivalence is done.
- Forgetting the index: after a tranche, your gross pay must go up. If it doesn't move, your payslip is wrong.
Frequently asked questions
€2,771.33 gross a month since 1 June 2026 for an unskilled adult working full time (40 hours a week). Skilled: €3,325.59 gross. From 1 January to 31 May 2026, it was €2,703.74.
About €2,418 net a month in class 1, on the unskilled SSM. About €2,756 net on the skilled SSM. The exact net amount depends on your tax class and your situation.
Yes. The SSM depends on where you work, not where you live. Your net pay, however, changes with the tax rules that apply to you.
Yes, in part. During the holidays, a pupil or student gets at least 80% of the SSM for their age. From 18, that's €12.8154 an hour (ITM, June 2026).