Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Sunday chaired an extraordinary meeting of the National Council for Wages, approving an increase in the private-sector minimum wage to LE8,500, effective January 1, 2027.
The meeting also approved a minimum annual periodic bonus of 3% of the social insurance subscription wage, with a minimum payment of LE350, starting from the 2027 fiscal year.
The minimum net hourly wage for temporary and part-time workers was also set at LE34.
Madbouly said improving wages and citizens’ incomes was a government priority, in line with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s directives.
He stressed the importance of ensuring private-sector compliance, given that it employs the largest share of Egypt’s workforce.
The meeting brought together ministers, government officials and representatives of employers’ organisations, trade unions and business federations.
During the meeting, Planning and Economic Development Minister Ahmed Rostom reviewed the council’s structure under Article 101 of Labour Law No. 14 of 2025, which provides for tripartite representation of the government, employers and workers.
Rostom also presented labour-market indicators, including economic participation, employment and unemployment trends, highlighting the need to improve workers’ earnings and expand women’s employment opportunities.
He noted that the private sector employed around 26.5 million people out of a national workforce of 32 million in 2025, across nearly four million formal and informal establishments.
Inflation and real GDP growth were also reviewed as factors in determining wage levels.
Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk, for his part, said proposals to improve incomes in the coming years would be presented for consultation with private-sector representatives.
In this respect, Madbouly directed the formation of a joint government-private-sector working group to examine wage increases and income improvements through 2030.
