The minimum wage in Russia may rise to 27 thousand rubles from 2026

Starting from January 1, 2026, the minimum wage in Russia may rise to 27,093 rubles — the State Duma Committee on Labor and Social Policy recommended the adoption of this bill on October 15. The increase will affect about 4.6 million employees. The authorities believe that the initiative will help reduce poverty and increase citizens' motivation to participate in the labor market. Details can be found in the Izvestia article.

What is known about the new minimum wage

Currently, the minimum wage in Russia in 2025 is 22,440 rubles per month. On October 15, the State Duma Committee on Labor and Social Policy recommended that the bill on increasing the minimum wage be adopted in the first reading. The bill was introduced by the government as part of the budget package and provides for an increase in the minimum wage from January 1, 2026 to 27,093 rubles.

The figure will be 48% of the median salary of 56,443 rubles for 2024. According to the plans of the Russian government, by 2030 the minimum wage in the country should be at least 35 thousand rubles.

The implementation of the bill will increase the wages of about 4.6 million workers, whose income directly depends on the minimum wage rates. According to the deputies, this decision will create the basis for further income growth of the population. At the same time, it is expected that the change will entail an adjustment of the entire tariff schedule at enterprises.

How the decision was explained in the Ministry of Labor

The increase in the minimum wage has a direct impact on other economic indicators. So, the amount of salaries, allowances, insurance premiums, as well as alimony depends on it. An employee's salary cannot be lower than the minimum wage if they perform their work duties and work full-time.

Anton Kotyakov, the head of the Ministry of Labor, stressed that government support should be targeted and based on the "two-key principle." The state is ready to help citizens who find themselves in a difficult situation, but the recipients of assistance themselves must take steps to improve their situation.

According to the Ministry of Labor, in exceptional cases related to illness, disability or child care, support will remain in full. At the same time, the agency points out the need to combat the unwillingness of able-bodied citizens to participate in employment programs. Kotyakov noted that the refusal of job offers or retraining raises the question of the fairness of the distribution of benefits.

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In addition, to stimulate labor activity, a minimum annual salary of four minimum wages has been introduced to receive a single benefit. According to Kotyakov, such a measure should reduce the scale of shadow employment, where more than 5 million people currently work.

As Dmitry Platygin, Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Russian Federation, said at a meeting of the State Duma committee, more than 66 billion rubles will need to be allocated to companies to raise salaries to a new minimum wage level from 2026.

What consequences are expected

A 20% increase in the minimum wage will affect the salaries of most employees. As noted by Svetlana Bessarab, a member of the State Duma Committee on Labor, Social Policy and Veterans' Affairs, an increase in the lower wage threshold will lead to a change in the tariff schedule and an increase in base rates for all categories of employees.

According to her, in large organizations, an increase in the minimum wage is traditionally accompanied by an increase in salaries at all levels. This is due to the inability to set the same salary for employees of different qualifications. As a result, the recalculation will affect approximately 5 million people, including those who receive salaries close to the minimum.

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Experts note that raising the minimum wage will become not only a social measure, but also a tool to support domestic demand. The authorities expect that improving wage conditions will strengthen economic activity and reduce the proportion of poor people among working citizens.

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