Minimum Wage Law: the sections this site discusses

Because the right cannot be waived, the signed agreement is not the whole story, and legal support in the employer-employee relationship looks at what the law requires, not only at what was written.

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What the law provides

Section 1 of the Law defines the basic terms: “minimum wage” (the monthly wage), “daily minimum wage” and “hourly minimum wage”, and refers to terms defined in related laws, such as a collective agreement, an extension order and the Wage Protection Law. The exact amount of the minimum wage is derived from the mechanisms in the Law (the definition in section 1 and the increases in section 4) and is updated from time to time. As of 1 April 2026, the monthly minimum wage is NIS 6,443.85; the hourly minimum wage is NIS 35.40 (based on 182 hours a month, under the Extension Order on Shortening the Work Week; the definition in section 1 divides by 186); the daily minimum wage is NIS 297.41 in a five-day work week and NIS 257.75 in a six-day work week.

Beyond the definitions, section 12 sets a key protective provision: “An employee’s right under this Law may not be made conditional or waived.” This means that an employment contract that sets a wage lower than the minimum wage has no effect, even if the employee signed it voluntarily. The right to the minimum wage prevails over any agreement to the contrary. An employee who was actually paid less than the minimum wage is entitled to the difference, subject to the ordinary limitation (prescription) period.

A numerical example

An employer and a new employee sign an employment contract that sets a wage of NIS 5,500 a month in a full-time position, and the employee themselves asks to start at a lower wage “to prove themselves”. This part of the agreement is void: under section 12, the employee is entitled to the full monthly minimum wage (NIS 6,443.85 as of 1 April 2026) and to a difference of NIS 943.85 for every month in which they were paid less than that, regardless of their consent.

For the detailed guide on the minimum wage and on checking your employment contract, see Minimum wage in Israel: updates, calculation and rights and Employment contract: what it must say and how to check it, and the page Employee rights and employment law.

The sections the site discusses

This page brings together 2 sections of the Minimum Wage Law that are discussed in 2 guides on this site. The title of each section is the marginal note of the consolidated version of the Law (unofficial translation), not a heading we wrote. The last column links to the guides on this site that discuss that section.

The original text of the law

• Minimum Wage Law, 5747-1987: text of the Law
• Minimum Wage Law: consolidated version on Nevo (Israeli legal database)

FAQ

How much is the minimum wage in Israel today?
As of 1 April 2026, the monthly minimum wage is NIS 6,443.85 in a full-time position, and the hourly minimum wage is NIS 35.40 (the monthly amount follows the definition in section 1 of the Law and the increases in section 4; the hourly amount is based on 182 hours a month, under the Extension Order on Shortening the Work Week, although section 1 of the Law divides by 186).

Can an employee agree to work for less than the minimum wage?
No. Section 12 states that an employee’s right to the minimum wage “may not be made conditional or waived”. Such an agreement is void, even if the employee agreed to it voluntarily.

What is the daily minimum wage?
As of 1 April 2026, NIS 297.41 per working day in a five-day work week, and NIS 257.75 per working day in a six-day work week.

What do you do if the employer pays less than the minimum wage?
The employee is entitled to the difference between the wage paid and the binding minimum wage, subject to the ordinary limitation (prescription) period. You can contact the official in charge of enforcing labor laws at the Ministry of Labor, or file a claim in the Regional Labor Court.

Who is entitled to the full minimum wage, and which components count toward it?
Under section 2 of the Law, an employee aged 18 or over who works in a full-time position, as customary at their workplace, is entitled to a wage of no less than the monthly, daily or hourly minimum wage, as the case may be. An employee in a part-time position is entitled to a minimum wage in proportion to the scope of their position. For an employee under 18, the Minister may set a lower minimum wage in regulations (section 16). When checking whether the minimum wage was paid, the base salary, the cost-of-living allowance and a fixed supplement paid because of the work are counted, but not a seniority supplement, a family allowance, a shift supplement, a 13th salary or travel expenses reimbursement (section 3(b)).

This page collects the references to legislation on the site. The section headings are the marginal notes as worded in the consolidated text of the law, and are not our interpretation. The binding text is the one published in Sefer HaHukim (the official gazette of statutes). The content here is general information and is not legal advice. Translated: 12 November 2026 · Hebrew version updated: 13 October 2026.