Minimum wage. As of January 1, 2022, the minimum wage will be subject to an automatic increase, without additional help from the government.
[Mis à jour le 17 décembre 2021 à 09h46] No extra boost. The Minister of Labor has showered these hopes. At January 1st 2022, the minimum wage will stand at 1,603 gross per month on the basis of 35 hours, an increase of 3.1% in one year. The announcement comes as INSEE published its final inflation figure for November on Wednesday. Consumer prices increase by 0.4% over one month and 2.8% over one year, let INSEE know. The Smic is the legal minimum wage that an employee must receive in France. An employee cannot therefore be remunerated below this threshold, but there are, however, exceptions with reductions in certain cases, such as employees under the age of 18 and apprentices. An employer who does not respect the legal minimum wage is liable to a fine of 1,500 euros and may be ordered to pay damages to his employee. He is currently reaching 1,589.47 euros gross monthly, on the basis of 35 hours. Last October, the minimum wage was exceptionally increased by 2.2%, due to a price increase of more than 2% between November 2020 and August 2021. It was the first time since 2011 that an automatic increase occurred outside January 1st.
What amount for the net minimum wage?
The amount of the monthly net minimum wage reached 1,231 euros, against 1,219 euros previously. As a reminder, the amount of the net minimum wage in recent years has amounted to:
| Year | Net monthly minimum wage amount |
| january 2016 | 1,143 euros |
| january 2017 | € 1,149.07 |
| january 2018 | 1,174.93 euros |
| january 2019 | 1,204 euros |
| January 2020 | € 1,219 |
| January 2021 | € 1,231 |
“The amount of the net minimum wage received by the employee depends on the company concerned and on certain contributions related to the sector of activity”, recalls the public service on its dedicated page.
The amount of the hourly minimum wage (gross) amounts to 10.25, against 10.15 euros in previously. As a reminder, the amount of the hourly minimum wage in recent years has been:
| Year | Hourly minimum wage (gross) |
| january 2016 | 9.67 euros |
| january 2017 | 9.76 euros |
| january 2018 | 9.88 euros |
| january 2019 | 10.03 euros |
| January 2020 | 10.15 euros |
| January 2021 | 10.25 euros |
Each year, the amount of the minimum wage is reassessed. Il reaches 1,554.58 euros gross per month on the basis of 35 hours per week, against 1,539.42 euros previously. This increase is the result of both the trend in inflation and the rise in the wages of workers and employees. As an indication, here is the evolution of the amount of the minimum wage since 2010:
| Year | Hourly minimum wage (gross) | Monthly minimum wage amount (gross) |
| january 2010 | 8.86 euros | € 1,343.77 |
| january 2011 | 9 euros | 1,365 euros |
| december 2011 | 9.19 euros | € 1,393.82 |
| january 2012 | 9.22 euros | € 1,398.37 |
| July 2012 | 9.40 euros | 1,425.67 euros |
| January 2013 | 9.43 euros | 1,430.22 euros |
| January 2014 | 9.53 euros | 1,445.38 euros |
| january 2015 | 9.61 euros | 1,457.52 euros |
| january 2016 | 9.67 euros | 1,466.62 euros |
| january 2017 | 9.76 euros | 1,480.27 euros |
| january 2018 | 9.88 euros | 1,498.47 euros |
| january 2019 | 10.03 euros | 1,521.22 euros |
| january 2020 | 10.15 euros | 1,539.42 euros |
| January 2021 | 10.25 euros | 1,554.58 euros |
The annual minimum wage amounts to 18,654 euros gross. The net annual amount stands at 14,772 euros this year.