From January 1, 2027, the Dutch statutory minimum wage will rise, with workers aged 21 and older seeing a pay bump of €15.29 an hour.
Minister of Social Affairs Hans Vijlbrief (of D66, the centrist, pro-EU liberal party) confirmed the new rate in a letter to parliament this Thursday.
Estimated Dutch minimum wage for 2027
For most adults earning the minimum wage in the Netherlands, you’ll see a modest increase of 30 cents, to €14.99 in 2026. If you work 40 hours a week, the wage bump will see an extra €12 in your wallet each week — or roughly €52 a month, calculates Hart van Nederland.
Meanwhile, workers under the age of 21 don’t receive the full statutory minimum wage. Instead, they get a percentage of the adult rate, based on their age.
In 2027, the government is ensuring a “substantial improvement” in wage increases per age category, with young adults aged 16 to 20 seeing the biggest increase.
Based on data from Rijksoverheid, wage estimates for 2027 are:
| Age | Minimum hourly wage (2027) | Percentage of minimum wage |
|---|---|---|
| 21 and over | €15.29 | 100% |
| 20 | €13.38 | 87.5% |
| 19 | €11.47 | 75% |
| 18 | €9.56 | 62.5% |
| 17 | €7.65 | 50% |
| 16 | €6.12 | 40% |
| 15 | €4.59 | 30% |
Why are younger workers earning more?
“Young people are at the beginning of their adult lives,” says Vijlbrief. “Many combine education with a part-time job and thus take their first steps into the labour market. Or they are already working full-time but cannot make ends meet.”
He adds that life isn’t cheap (believe us, we know!), “which is why it is important that we pay hard-working young people fairly”.
There’s also good news for students on the work-study pathway (bbl) in secondary vocational education. From 2027, their minimum youth wage will be more closely aligned with the regular minimum youth wage.
Meanwhile, 15-year-olds in the Caribbean Netherlands can expect to earn 55% of the minimum wage from 2027, which works out to roughly €8.41 per hour.
Nothing’s set in stone yet
While these rates may seem promising or discouraging to some, it’s important to remember that all of these amounts are gross. What lands in your bank account at the end of the month will also depend on your taxes and necessary contributions.
Also, when rolling into 2027, it’s worth checking your first payslip to ensure that your employer has updated your rates accordingly.
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