The Dutch government has announced it will raise the country’s minimum wage by more than 3 per cent, as lower paid workers continue to grapple with the impact of the rising cost of food, fuel and housing.
The measure, part of a support package to help households cope with rising inflation and energy prices, was unveiled in a regulation from the country’s Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment on Wednesday.
As of July 1, 2023, the legal gross minimum wage for full-time workers aged 21 and over will be:
Monthly: €1,995, up from €1,934.40
Weekly: €460.40, up from €446.40
Daily: €92.08, up from €89.28
The Netherlands plans to introduce a statutory hourly minimum wage effective January 1, 2024, the ministry also said. The hourly minimum wage would be based on normal working time of 36 hours per week.
Last year, the Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis, an agency affiliated with the government, calculated that up to 1 million Dutch people are at risk of falling into poverty as a result of soaring prices.
The 3.13 percent increase to be applied to the minimum wage will not be reflected in other allowances and aids such as AOW or social assistance. As a result, the minimum wage increase will have no effect on the incomes of social assistance recipients and retirees.
