Dutch Minimum Wage 2026: Hourly, Monthly and Weekly Amounts

If you work in the Netherlands or plan to go there, the minimum wage is the most important point of reference: a worker over 21 cannot be paid less than this. In 2026 it went up twice, in January and in July. Here is how much it is now, what it means per week and per month, and what to watch if you are younger than 21.

The hourly wage is the basis

In the Netherlands the minimum wage is set per hour. This matters because no matter how many hours you work in a week, for every hour you work you must get at least the minimum hourly wage.

The gross minimum wage from age 21 in 2026:

Period	Gross hourly wage	Monthly reference amount
from 1 January 2026	€14.71	€2 294.40
from 1 July 2026	€14.99	€2 337.00

The monthly amount is for information, a reference value. The amount you must actually be paid is based on the hourly wage, so always compare that with what you see in your contract.

It changes every six months

The minimum wage is adjusted twice a year: in January and in July. So if you accepted an offer at the start of the year with an hourly wage close to the minimum wage, check from 1 July whether your pay went up too.

If your contract says exactly the minimum wage, the higher amount should show on your loonstrook (payslip) after the increase. If it does not, ask the agency.

What does this mean per week?

Agency work is often paid weekly, so the question is how much you get for one week. The numbers are our own rounded calculations, gross, without allowances:

Hours per week	From January (€14.71)	From July (€14.99)
36 hours	about €530	about €540
38 hours	about €559	about €570
40 hours	about €588	about €600

So with 40 hours a week, the July minimum wage means about €600 gross per week. That is gross: net pay after deductions will be less (tax, pension contribution, and if you live in the agency's housing or are insured through the agency, also housing and health insurance).

Pay for young workers

Under age 21 a lower, age-based minimum wage applies. From 1 July 2026 the gross hourly wage is:

Age	Gross hourly wage
20 years	€11.99
19 years	€8.99
18 years	€7.50

With 40 hours a week this means about €480 (age 20), about €360 (age 19) and €300 (age 18) gross per week, again by our own calculation.

Important: this is the minimum, not a maximum. In agency work the pay system of the hiring company also counts: if the company pays its own employees in a similar job more, the agency worker must also get an equivalent package (more about this below). So even when you are young, ask which pay scale they use.

Minimum wage and agency work

Most agency workers fall under the ABU or NBBU CAO (collective agreement). Under the new CAO valid from the first week of 2026, an agency worker must get a complete package that is at least equivalent ("gelijkwaardig") to that of the hiring company's own employees in a similar job. This covers pay, allowances, working hours, overtime and holidays.

This means the minimum wage is only the lowest limit. If the company's own workers in a factory or warehouse get more, your package cannot be less either.

Minimum wage and housing

If you live in the agency's housing, the employer may deduct at most 25% of the minimum wage for housing, and only if the housing is certified (for example SNF). With the July monthly reference amount this is about €584 per month.

This is the maximum. If they deduct more from you while you earn minimum wage, or they deduct for housing that is not certified, it is worth looking into it, for example with the Juridisch Loket.

Minimum wage in job ads

When you compare job offers, the minimum wage helps you find your way. A few things to watch:

• Gross or net? The minimum wage is always gross. If a job ad shows a net amount, ask with how many hours and after which deductions they calculated it.
• Which period? A job ad posted at the start of the year may still show January's €14.71, but from July you must get at least €14.99.
• How many hours? A lower hourly wage with more hours can bring the same as a higher one with fewer hours. The hours per week matter as much as the hourly wage.
• What comes on top? Allowances, overtime and the saved vakantiegeld (holiday pay, usually 8%) can come on top of the minimum wage.

If the hourly wage in an offer is below the minimum wage, and the worker is not under 21, that is a serious warning sign.

How to check that you get it

A few simple steps:

• Look at the gross hourly wage in your contract, and compare it with the current minimum wage.
• On your loonstrook, check that hours worked times hourly wage matches the gross amount.
• After January and July, check whether the increase appeared.
• If you are under 21, check after your birthday that you get the pay for your new age.

On Eyesonworks.eu you can also sort job ads by pay, and you always reach the agency's original job ad, where you can see the exact hourly wage.

If you think you are getting less than you are owed, first ask the agency in writing. If you cannot reach an agreement, the Juridisch Loket (free legal information) or the FNV or CNV trade union can help.

In short

• The Dutch gross minimum wage from age 21 is €14.71 per hour from January 2026, and €14.99 from July.
• The monthly reference amount is €2 294.40 and €2 337.00, but what you must be paid is based on the hourly wage.
• With 40 hours a week, the July minimum wage is about €600 gross per week.
• Under 21 a lower minimum applies, but in agency work the equivalent package for a similar job at the hiring company also counts.
• The minimum wage goes up every six months, in January and July, so check your payslip then.