Is there a minimum wage in Austria?
No statutory minimum wage — but effectively one via collective agreements. Austria has no statutory minimum wage; minimum pay is set per industry and occupation by collective agreements. There are over 800 collective agreements, and around 95–98% of employees are covered by one. They're negotiated by the social partners — the employer side mainly the economic chamber (WKO), the employee side the trade unions (ÖGB). The social partners aim that no collective-agreement minimum falls below €2,000 gross/month (full-time); the lowest sit around €1,950–€2,000 gross in 2026. Pay is usually 14× a year. In short: no statute, but a strong agreement floor.
📋 The rules
- No statutory minimum wage
- Minimum pay via collective agreements per industry
- Over 800 agreements, around 95–98% covered
- Aim: no agreement below €2,000 gross/month
- Pay usually 14× a year
🔓 Exceptions
- No agreement: individual contract, but not exploitative
- The agreement is a floor: overpaying allowed, underpaying not
- Apprentices: their own apprentice income per the agreement
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Paying below the binding agreement rate is wage and social dumping and is sanctioned under the anti-dumping law with substantial fines per affected worker, plus the employee's claim for the difference. Beware a myth: "Austria has a single statutory minimum wage like Germany" is false — there's no statutory minimum wage; the floor depends entirely on which collective agreement applies. Tip: check your collective agreement and your classification — that's where your specific minimum wage is.
📎 Official sources
- Ministry of Social Affairs · minimum wage in Austria →
- oesterreich.gv.at · minimum wage →
- AMS · minimum wage →
❓ Frequently asked
Is there a statutory minimum wage in Austria?
No. Austria has no statutory minimum wage. Minimum pay is set per industry and occupation by collective agreements, negotiated by the social partners. Around 95 to 98 percent of employees are covered by a collective agreement.
How high is the lowest minimum wage?
The social partners aim that no collective-agreement minimum wage falls below €2,000 gross a month for full-time. The lowest sit roughly between €1,950 and €2,000 gross in 2026. Many collective agreements provide higher minimum wages.
Who sets the minimum wages?
Minimum wages are negotiated by the social partners. On the employer side this is mainly the economic chamber, on the employee side the trade unions in the ÖGB. The result is over 800 collective agreements that regulate minimum pay industry by industry.
What applies if there's no collective agreement?
If, exceptionally, there's no collective agreement, the wage follows the individual employment contract. But it must not be immoral or exploitatively low. The collective agreement is always a minimum floor; overpaying is allowed, undercutting is not.
What happens with underpayment?
Paying below the binding collective agreement is wage and social dumping. It's sanctioned under the anti-wage-and-social-dumping law with substantial fines per affected worker. You can also claim the difference up to the correct wage.
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