National Minimum Wage (20+)
€14.15/hr · €566.00/wk · €29,432.00/yr FT
Employees aged 20 and over
Effective 1 January 2026
Updated 2026-08-24 · 2026 rates
Minimum Wage Ireland 2026
Current National Minimum Wage age bands with Workplace Relations Commission / gov.ie sources, full-time pay examples, and board & lodgings reckonable amounts. Statutory rates apply across the Republic of Ireland.
Compare age bands side by side
See who has the higher floor — and why — for corridors like adult NMW vs age 19.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
€14.15Adult NMW (20+)
€12.74Age 19 (90%)
€9.91Under 18 (70%)
€1.27Board meals/hour
Spotlight rates — all four bands
Full-time (40 hrs/week) gross at each 2026 statutory band. Open a band page for eligibility and hour examples.
Adult NMW and age-band sub-minima
The adult National Minimum Wage is €14.15/hour for employees aged 20 and over (effective 1 January 2026). Younger bands are set at 90%, 80%, and 70% of adult. Sectoral Employment Orders may set higher sector floors. Craft apprentices are generally excluded from NMW.
The adult National Minimum Wage is the highest statutory age-band floor. Sectoral Employment Orders (SEOs) and Employment Regulation Orders (EROs) may set higher sector floors. Craft apprentices and certain close relatives of sole-trader employers are excluded from NMW.
Minimum wage by age band
All four statutory bands ranked by hourly rate. Full-time weekly and annual columns use 40 hours × 52 weeks. Board & lodgings reckonable amounts are listed separately — they are not hourly wage bands.
| # | Band | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Minimum Wage (20+)Employees aged 20 and over | €14.15 |
| 2 | Age 19Employees aged 19 | €12.74 |
| 3 | Age 18Employees aged 18 | €11.32 |
| 4 | Under 18Employees under 18 | €9.91 |
Browse by band
Eligibility, pay examples, and FAQs on each page.
How this tracker works
1. Browse rates
Use the ranking table for 2026 statutory floors — refreshed when WRC / gov.ie publishes new NMW rates.
2. Open a band page
Eligibility, 20/30/40-hour pay examples, adult NMW context, and FAQs for that age band.
3. Model take-home
Convert hourly to annual with the hourly calculator, then estimate net with the Ireland tax calculator.
Not legal advice — verify on WRC / gov.ie before payroll changes.
Frequently asked questions
The adult National Minimum Wage (employees aged 20 and over) is €14.15/hour, effective 1 January 2026. At 40 hours/week, that equals €29,432.00/year gross before income tax, USC, and PRSI. It is the highest statutory age-band floor.
National Minimum Wage (20+) leads at €14.15/hour. At full-time (40 hrs/week), that is about €29,432.00/year before tax, USC, and PRSI.
Age 19 (90% of adult): €12.74/hr. Age 18 (80%): €11.32/hr. Under 18 (70%): €9.91/hr. Open each band page for eligibility and weekly pay at 20/30/40 hours.
Craft apprentices are generally excluded from the National Minimum Wage. Certain close relatives of sole-trader employers may also be excluded. This tracker does not invent an apprentice wage band — confirm status on Workplace Relations Commission and Citizens Information guidance.
From 1 January 2026, meals may be reckoned at €1.27 per hour worked, and accommodation only at €33.42/week or €4.77/day. These are reckonable amounts, not separate hourly wage bands.
Yes. Sectoral Employment Orders (SEOs) and Employment Regulation Orders (EROs) may set higher minimum rates in specific sectors. This tracker covers the statutory National Minimum Wage age bands only.
The National Minimum Wage usually updates on 1 January. This tracker lists in-effect rates from WRC / gov.ie. Always verify on official sources before changing payroll.
Use our hourly salary calculator to estimate annual gross, then the Ireland tax calculator for PAYE, USC, and PRSI. Gross at the legal floor is not the same as net pay.
Open our UK minimum wage tracker or New Zealand minimum wage tracker, then return here for Ireland age bands. Currency and tax systems differ — compare floors carefully.
More ways to use these rates
- Minimum Wage Comparisons (Ireland) — Age band vs age band — who has the higher floor and why.
- Ireland Tax Calculator — Estimate take-home from minimum wage after PAYE, USC, and PRSI.
- VAT Calculator Ireland — Add or remove Revenue VAT rates.
- Hourly Salary Calculator — Convert €/hr to weekly, monthly, and annual pay.
- Highest Paying Jobs Ireland — CSO SES occupation medians ranked for Ireland.
- Minimum Wage UK — Sibling tracker for UK NLW and age bands.
- Minimum Wage New Zealand — Adult, starting-out, and training NZD floors.
- Minimum Wage Australia — NMW, casual loading, and junior bands.
- Minimum Wage Canada — Provincial and territorial CAD floors.
- US Minimum Wage by State — Sibling tracker for US federal and state floors.
Related calculators
Minimum Wage Ireland Compare
Age band vs age band — who pays more
Minimum Wage by State
US federal & state floors
Minimum Wage UK
NLW & age-band NMW rates
Minimum Wage Canada
Provincial & territorial rates
Minimum Wage Australia
NMW, casual & junior bands
Minimum Wage New Zealand
Adult, starting-out & training
Hourly to Salary Calculator
Convert wage to annual pay
Ireland Tax Calculator
Take-home after PAYE, USC & PRSI