Minimum wage in France

A statutory national minimum wage

France has the SMIC, an hourly statutory minimum wage that is linked to inflation. It rises automatically when prices rise past a set point, and the Government can add a further increase.

Headline figure (second half of 2026)

1,867 EUR per month

Eurostat's gross, full-time monthly figure; 13th and 14th-month payments are spread over twelve months.

The law itself states the minimum as an hourly rate.

Roughly US$2,092 a month for a full-time worker, at exchange rates of 2026-10-09. This is a rough comparison only and does not show buying power.

Checked October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Check the date. Minimum wages change, in many countries every year. The figure above is the one in force at the date shown. Confirm the current amount with the official source below before you rely on it. This is general information, not legal or employment advice.

Who sets it

The law sets the SMIC as an hourly rate. The Government fixes it by decree each year after taking advice from an expert group and the national collective bargaining body.

How it changes

It is adjusted every 1 January and can also rise during the year automatically when the price index rises by a set percentage since the last adjustment.

Who is covered, and who is treated differently

It applies to practically all employees in France, with reduced rates in limited cases such as some young workers and apprentices.
Collective agreements for particular sectors often set higher floors.

What to watch for

The monthly figure shown is Eurostat's full-time equivalent of the hourly SMIC, gross and before contributions.

Understand the legal system first

France belongs to the Civil law family. How pay is regulated depends on how the legal system makes and applies labour law.

Read the France legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Compare France with another country →

Official sources

TheLawToKnow Tools’s Minimum Wage by Country guide is an educational overview. It is not legal or employment advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.