Minimum wage in Ireland (2026)

One national rate, with lower rates under 20

The national rate is the same in Dublin, Cork and Galway, and the only lower rates are set by age. Employees under 20 can be paid a percentage of the adult rate: 90% at age 19 (EUR 12.74), 80% at 18 (EUR 11.32) and 70% under 18 (EUR 9.91). On their 20th birthday the full EUR 14.15 applies.

One point that confuses cross-border employers: the minimum wage in the Republic of Ireland is not the one in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland is part of the UK and follows the UK rate of GBP 12.71 for workers 21 and over, explained on our UK minimum wage page.

Other minimum wage rates in Ireland

Weekly and monthly pay at EUR 14.15

Irish law sets an hourly rate and no standard week. On a 39-hour week, a common full-time contract: EUR 14.15 x 39 = EUR 551.85 a week. Over a year that is 551.85 x 52 = EUR 28,696.20 (about $32,292), or EUR 2,391.35 a month (169 hours, 39 x 52 / 12). A 40-hour week pays EUR 566.00. For context, the CSO's preliminary average weekly earnings were EUR 1,046.88 in Q2 2026, a mean that includes part-time staff; more on the Irish average salary page.

The PRSI threshold minimum-wage pay sits just under

Employer PRSI has two rates, and the minimum wage lands right at the line between them. From October 1, 2026 the rate is 9.15% where weekly pay is EUR 552 or less and 11.40% above that, on all of the pay. A 39-hour week at EUR 14.15 pays EUR 551.85, 15 cents under, so the lower rate applies; a 40-hour week at EUR 566.00 crosses into 11.40%.

For the 39-hour worker the annual employer cost is:

• Employer PRSI: 9.15% x 28,696.20 = EUR 2,625.70.
• My Future Fund auto-enrollment: 1.5% x 28,696.20 = EUR 430.44, for employees aged 23 to 60 earning EUR 20,000 or more with no payroll pension.

That totals EUR 3,056.15 (about $3,439), 10.65% of pay. Watch January: at EUR 14.94, 39 hours pays EUR 582.66 a week, above the EUR 552 threshold, so unless the threshold moves the same worker jumps to the 11.40% rate. Leave rules are on the Irish maternity leave page.

Hiring in Ireland without an Irish company

Without a local entity you need an employer of record to register for PAYE, run Revenue reporting and handle auto-enrollment. Monthly EOR fees on public price lists range from $99 to $699 a head (October 2026). Remote lists EOR from $599 with no base fee. At the minimum wage, Remote's $599 fee ($7,188 a year) is larger than the employer PRSI of EUR 2,625.70, about $2,954.70 at 1.1253 dollars per euro; Native Teams' $99 floor ($1,188 a year; its help center says EUR 99) is smaller. Read our Ireland employer of record guide for notice and redundancy rules, compare providers in our EOR rankings, or see how Ireland compares in the employer cost index.