Researched by ExpatMoneyEU Research Team · Last updated 14 November 2026 · Data: Ireland's National Minimum Wage — adult rate €14.94 an hour from 1 January 2027, announced in Budget 2027 on 6 October 2026 and set in law by the National Minimum Wage Order 2026 (S.I. No. 533 of 2026) — 2027. Estimate only — not tax or financial advice. Figures are gross, before income tax, USC and PRSI, which depend on your personal circumstances.
ExpatMoneyEU verdict: On the 2027 adult rate of €14.94 an hour, a full-time 39-hour week pays €582.66 gross a week — €2,524.86 a month and €30,298.32 a year. That is €30.81 a week more than the 2026 rate of €14.15, or about €1,602 extra gross pay over a full year. Remember the 2027 rate only applies to hours worked from 1 January 2027 — until then, €14.15 is still the legal rate.
The 2027 rates are the National Minimum Wage rates set in law by the National Minimum Wage Order 2026 (S.I. No. 533 of 2026), effective for hours worked from 1 January 2027. Youth rates are fixed percentages of the adult rate: 90% at 19, 80% at 18 and 70% under 18. A month is 52 weeks divided by 12, which is how most payroll software spreads a weekly wage. All figures are gross — income tax, USC and PRSI are deducted separately and depend on your personal circumstances.
What is the minimum wage in Ireland in 2027?
Ireland's National Minimum Wage rises to €14.94 an hour for workers aged 20 and over from 1 January 2027, up 79 cent — 5.6% — from the 2026 rate of €14.15. The increase was announced in Budget 2027 on 6 October 2026, accepting the Low Pay Commission's recommendation in full, and it is now set in law by the National Minimum Wage Order 2026 (S.I. No. 533 of 2026). Younger workers get lower rates, fixed as percentages of the adult rate: 90% at 19 (€13.45), 80% at 18 (€11.95) and 70% under 18 (€10.46). The minimum wage is a legal floor — it applies to almost every employee in Ireland, including part-time workers, and your employer cannot pay you less for the same hours.
For an expat starting work in Dublin, Cork or Galway, this rate is the number that matters most on a first payslip. The standard full-time week in Ireland is 39 hours, so a full-time adult on the minimum wage earns €582.66 gross a week in 2027. That is before income tax, USC and PRSI are taken off — what lands in your bank account is lower, and it depends on your tax credits and personal circumstances. This calculator shows gross pay only, so you can check your payslip against the legal minimum; use our net salary calculator to work out the take-home figure.
How to use it (4 steps)
- Pick your age band — 20 and over, 19, 18 or under 18. The hourly rate changes with your age.
- Enter the hours you work in a week. The default is 39 hours, the standard full-time week in Ireland.
- Read your gross pay instantly: a week, a month and a year, plus what the same hours paid in 2026 and how much extra 2027 brings.
- Compare the result with your payslip. If your employer pays less than the rate for your age band for hours worked from 1 January 2027, that is underpayment — and it is your take-home, not the gross figure, that lands in your bank account.
→ Free Ireland Net Salary Calculator 2027 — your take-home after Irish income tax, USC and PRSI
The formula, with every variable explained
Gross pay a week = hourly rate × hours worked a week. Gross pay a month = gross pay a week × 52 ÷ 12, because a year has 52 weeks and a month is 52 weeks divided by 12. Gross pay a year = gross pay a week × 52. Your hourly rate is the National Minimum Wage rate for your age band in 2027: €14.94 for workers aged 20 and over, €13.45 at 19, €11.95 at 18 and €10.46 under 18. Hours worked a week is the number of hours you actually work — 39 is the standard full-time week in Ireland, but part-time workers use their real hours. The youth rates are fixed percentages of the adult rate: 90%, 80% and 70%. The extra pay in 2027 is simply your 2027 annual gross minus your 2026 annual gross at the same hours — for a full-time adult, €30,298.32 minus €28,696.20, which is €1,602.12 a year.
Worked example with real numbers
Example: a worker aged 20 or over on a full-time 39-hour week in 2027. The hourly rate is €14.94, so gross pay a week is 39 × €14.94 = €582.66. Gross pay a month is €582.66 × 52 ÷ 12 = €2,524.86, and gross pay a year is €582.66 × 52 = €30,298.32 (rounded to €30,298). In 2026 the same 39 hours paid €551.85 a week and €28,696.20 a year, so the 2027 rise is worth €30.81 a week and €1,602.12 a year. Now a 19-year-old on the same 39 hours: the rate is €13.45, so the week is 39 × €13.45 = €524.55, the month is €2,273.05 and the year is €27,276.60. And a part-time adult on 20 hours a week: 20 × €14.94 = €298.80 a week, €1,294.80 a month and €15,537.60 a year.
Ireland minimum wage rates by age band (2026 vs 2027)
| Age band | % of adult rate | 2026 hourly | 2027 hourly | Gross a week, 39 hours (2027) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 and over | 100% | €14.15 | €14.94 | €582.66 |
| 19 years old | 90% | €12.74 | €13.45 | €524.55 |
| 18 years old | 80% | €11.32 | €11.95 | €466.05 |
| Under 18 | 70% | €9.91 | €10.46 | €407.94 |
2027 rates apply to hours worked from 1 January 2027. The 2026 rates apply to hours worked up to 31 December 2026. Youth rates are fixed percentages of the adult rate under the National Minimum Wage Act 2000. Weekly figures assume a 39-hour week over 52 weeks; all figures are gross, before income tax, USC and PRSI.
→ Free Ireland PRSI Calculator 2027 — what PRSI takes off your 2027 pay
Sources and disclaimer
The adult National Minimum Wage rises by 79 cent to €14.94 an hour from 1 January 2027, announced in Budget 2027 on 6 October 2026 by the Department of Finance, accepting the Low Pay Commission's recommendation in full. The rate is set in law by the National Minimum Wage Order 2026 (S.I. No. 533 of 2026), made on 15 October 2026. Youth rates are fixed percentages of the adult rate under the National Minimum Wage Act 2000: 90% for 19-year-olds, 80% for 18-year-olds and 70% for under-18s. The 2026 adult rate of €14.15 an hour applies to hours worked up to 31 December 2026. The voluntary Living Wage, a cost-of-living benchmark of €16 an hour, is not a legal minimum and is not used in this calculator. Sources checked 14 November 2026. Estimate only — not tax or financial advice. This calculator shows gross pay only; your take-home pay depends on your income tax credits, USC band and PRSI class, and on your personal circumstances — use our Ireland net salary calculator for the take-home figure, and confirm the exact rate on your payslip or with the Workplace Relations Commission before making decisions.
You may also need…
- Free Ireland Net Salary Calculator 2027
- Free Ireland PRSI Calculator 2027
- Ireland Minimum Wage 2027 Guide