France's Minimum Wage Rises by 1.18% to €1,443 Net Monthly on January 1, 2026

Automatic Increase Implemented

France's national minimum wage, known as the SMIC (Salaire Minimum Interprofessionnel de Croissance), officially increased by 1.18% on January 1, 2026. This adjustment brings the estimated net monthly salary for a full-time employee to €1,443.11. The increase is a result of the country's automatic indexation mechanism, designed to align the minimum wage with inflation and a portion of the growth in purchasing power.

New Rates Detailed

For a full-time worker on a 35-hour week, the new rates are as follows:

• Gross hourly SMIC: €12.02
• Gross monthly SMIC: €1,823.03
• Estimated net monthly SMIC: €1,443.11

This represents an increase from the previous gross monthly SMIC of €1,801.80 and an estimated net monthly SMIC of €1,426.30, which were in effect since November 2024. The monthly gain for a full-time worker paid at the SMIC is approximately €16.83 gross, or just under €17 net.

Mechanism of Adjustment

The SMIC's annual revaluation is determined by a legally established formula. It considers two primary factors: the inflation rate for the 20% of households with the lowest incomes (excluding tobacco) and half of the gain in purchasing power of the average hourly wage for blue-collar workers and employees. This year's 1.18% increase is purely mechanical, reflecting these statutory criteria, and does not include any additional discretionary government 'coup de pouce' (boost). Lower inflation in 2025 contributed to the modest nature of this increase.

Scope and Exceptions

The new minimum wage rates apply across Metropolitan France and its overseas departments and territories, including Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Réunion, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, and Saint Pierre and Miquelon.

An exception applies to the department of Mayotte, which follows a specific trajectory for its minimum wage. In Mayotte, the gross hourly SMIC is set at €9.33, and the gross monthly SMIC for a full-time worker is €1,415.05, marking a 3.90% increase for the region. Additionally, the Guaranteed Minimum (Minimum Garanti), used for calculating certain benefits in kind, has been raised to €4.25.

Approximately 2.2 million people, representing 12.4% of employees in France, are paid at the minimum wage and will be directly affected by this revaluation.