What is minimum wage?
The minimum wage is Brazil's national pay floor, set by federal decree and guaranteed by the Constitution to every worker on a full 220-hour month. In 2026 it is R$ 1,621.00 a month, which works out to R$ 54.03 a day and R$ 7.37 an hour. Part-time contracts receive the minimum in proportion to their hours.
The adjustment follows the current valuation rule: the previous year's INPC inflation plus the real GDP growth of two years earlier, capped at a 2.5% real gain. Some states set higher regional floors for categories without a collective-bargaining floor, and the union floor prevails when one exists.
On payroll the minimum wage is the base for several other figures: the first INSS band coincides with it, the hazardous-conditions allowance (insalubridade) is calculated on it, and the floor and ceiling of unemployment insurance, the family allowance and INSS benefits follow it.
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An assistant on a 44-hour week earns R$ 1,621.00 in 2026. INSS on that amount is 7.5%, or R$ 121.58, and there is no income tax. If they work 10 overtime hours at 50% in the month, each hour is worth R$ 7.37 plus 50%, or R$ 11.05, so the overtime adds R$ 110.50 before knock-on effects.
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Open calculatorFrequently asked questions
What is Brazil's minimum wage in 2026?
R$ 1,621.00 a month since 1 January 2026, which is R$ 54.03 a day and R$ 7.37 an hour on a 220-hour month.
How much INSS does a minimum-wage earner pay?
7.5% of R$ 1,621.00, or R$ 121.58, because the minimum wage coincides with the top of the first band of the 2026 table. No income tax is withheld.
Can a company pay less than the minimum wage?
Only on part-time contracts, in proportion to the contracted hours. For full-time work the national minimum, the regional floor or the collective-agreement floor, whichever is higher, is mandatory.