Work and Wages
Minimum Wage
The Brazilian constitution provides for a single national minimum wage, which enables workers and their families to meet their basic living needs like housing, food, education, health, leisure, clothing, hygiene, transportation and social security with periodical adjustments to maintain the purchasing power of people. It also allows fixing minimum wages/base salary, keeping in view the extent and complexity of work (sectoral or occupational as well as regional minimum wages allowed).
Minimum wage is the minimum amount due and paid directly to the worker, including rural workers, without any distinction of sex, for a regular day of work, which enables workers in every region of the country to satisfy their basic needs of food, housing, clothing, hygiene/health and transportation.
Under the current legislation, the national minimum wage is set by federal executive decree, in accordance with the statutory permanent minimum-wage appreciation policy. Complementary Law No. 103/2000 also authorizes States and the Federal District to establish regional wage floors for employees who do not have a wage floor defined by federal law, collective bargaining agreement or collective convention. From January 1, 2026, the national minimum wage is R$1,621.00 per month, as set by Decree No. 12.797/2025.
Minimum wages may be set differently for different occupations and regions, provided that the federally set national minimum wage is respected as a floor. Under Article 82 of the CLT, where part of the minimum wage is paid in utilities, the cash portion may not be less than 30% of the minimum wage. Workers exposed to hazardous conditions are entitled to a hazard premium of 30% calculated on the employee’s base salary, without additions resulting from bonuses, awards or profit-sharing. Workers exposed to unhealthy conditions are entitled to an additional premium of 10%, 20% or 40% of the applicable minimum wage, depending on the minimum, medium or maximum degree of exposure.
Compliance with labour legislation, including minimum wage provisions, is monitored by the Labour Inspection system. Non-compliance with minimum wage rules constitutes an administrative labour offence and may result in penalties under the CLT and the applicable administrative regulations, with aggravation in cases such as recurrence, obstruction or resistance to inspection.
During the COVID-19 public health emergency, Provisional Measure No. 936/2020, later converted into Law No. 14.020/2020, established temporary emergency measures for the preservation of employment and income, including proportional reduction of working hours and wages by 25%, 50% or 70%, and temporary suspension of the employment contract, with payment of the Emergency Employment and Income Preservation Benefit by the Federal Government. These measures were exceptional and temporary and do not form part of the ordinary regime currently applicable to wages.
Source: Article 7(IV) of the Federal Constitution of 1988; Articles 76, 82, 120, 192 and 193 of the Consolidation of Labour Laws — CLT, Decree-Law No. 5.452/1943; Article 1 of Complementary Law No. 103/2000; Articles 1 and 3 of Law No. 14.663 of August 28, 2023; Article 4 of Law No. 15.077 of December 27, 2024; Article 1 of Decree No. 12.797 of December 23, 2025; Law No. 14.020 of July 6, 2020, only as regards the temporary COVID-19 emergency measures.
For updated minimum wage rates, please refer to the section on minimum wage.
Regular Pay
In accordance with the Consolidated Labour Laws, the wage period can't be longer than one month, except with regard to commissions, percentages and bonuses. When the wage period is one month, workers are to be paid their wages within five (5) days at the end of the month. Wages may be paid in cash or in kind. Wages are paid on a receipt signed by the employee or through fingerprint/thumb impression if the employee is illiterate. Wages are to be paid on a working day and in the working place during the working hours or immediately at the end of working, except when deposited in the bank account.
Workers are provided with an additional salary each year. The 13th salary is, as a rule, equivalent to 1/12 of the remuneration due in December for each month of service in the relevant year. It is paid in two instalments: the first between February and November of each year, and the second by December 20.
The Labour Law Reform also changed rules on the composition of remuneration. Article 457 of the CLT continues to provide that the fixed amount stipulated, statutory bonuses and commissions paid by the employer form part of the employee’s salary. However, even when habitual, amounts paid as cost allowances, meal allowance — provided it is not paid in cash — travel per diems, awards and bonuses do not form part of the employee’s remuneration and are not included in the basis for labour and social security charges, subject to the applicable statutory conditions.
Source: Articles 457, 459, 463, 464 and 465 of the Consolidation of Labour Laws — CLT, Decree-Law No. 5.452/1943; Law No. 4.090/1962; Law No. 4.749/1965; Decree No. 57.155/1965.
Regulations on Work and Wages
- Constituição da República Federativa do Brasil, 1988 / Constitution of the Federal Republic of Brazil, 1988
- Ato das Disposições Constitucionais Transitórias (ADCT), 1988 (última alteração em 2025) / Act of Transitory Constitutional Provisions (ADCT), 1988 (last amended in 2025)
- Consolidação das Leis do Trabalho – CLT (Decreto-Lei nº 5.452, de 1º de maio de 1943) / Consolidated Labour Laws – CLT (Decree-Law No. 5.452 of May 1, 1943)
- Lei nº 13.467, de 13 de julho de 2017 / Law No. 13.467 of July 13, 2017
- Lei nº 7.998, de 11 de janeiro de 1990 / Law No. 7.998 of January 11, 1990
- Lei nº 8.036, de 11 de maio de 1990 / Law No. 8.036 of May 11, 1990