In Italy, there is no uniform statutory minimum wage in the form of a fixed gross hourly rate that applies to all employees. Instead, minimum wage levels are generally determined by national collective agreements.
However, Article 36 of the Italian Constitution stipulates that employees are entitled to remuneration that is commensurate with the quantity and quality of their work and, in any event, sufficient.
The individual collective agreements set so-called collectively agreed wages or minimum wages for the respective sectors and occupations. The amount depends in particular on the employee’s pay grade.
An employee performing basic tasks may therefore have a lower minimum wage – even within the same collective agreement – than, for example, a skilled worker or a manager.
In addition to pay, collective agreements regulate numerous other aspects of the employment relationship, such as overtime, length-of-service allowances, annual leave, additional monthly salaries and various fringe benefits.
Since 2026, the importance of collective agreements has been further reinforced by law. The legislator now uses the term ‘salario giusto’ – fair pay.
The reference point is not merely the basic wage set by the collective agreement. Rather, the decisive factor is the total remuneration provided for the employee under the relevant collective agreement. In addition to the basic wage, this may also include other wage components and allowances provided for in the collective agreement.
Italy thus remains committed to its collective agreement system: no general minimum wage of, for example, 9 or 10 euros per hour has been introduced.
In determining the appropriate remuneration, the following factors are particularly relevant:
The statutory provisions are primarily based on the collective agreements of the main employers’ and employees’ organisations at national level. If a different collective agreement is applied within the company, the total remuneration provided for must, in principle, not be lower than the comparable remuneration under these collective agreements.
Of course, a higher wage than that provided for in the collective agreement may be agreed. The collective agreement essentially sets a minimum threshold. Higher salaries or additional wage components may be agreed in the individual employment contract.
An additional personal wage component (“superminimo”) is often agreed upon. Whether this can be offset against subsequent increases in the minimum wages set by collective bargaining agreements depends on the specific terms of the agreement.
When hiring an employee in Italy, it is therefore important to check both the correct collective agreement and the correct pay grade, as well as the resulting minimum wage.