Wage increase prospects in 2026: can we expect a salary increase? – Expert answers

Minimum wage and guaranteed minimum wage in 2026

The agreement on the 2026 minimum wage and guaranteed minimum wage has been reached: from January 1, 2026, it will increase by 11 percent, to HUF 322,800 gross, and the guaranteed minimum wage (or more commonly known as the “skilled worker minimum wage”) will increase by 7 percent, to HUF 373,200,000 gross. This means that without taking into account the discounts, the minimum wage will be 214,662 HUF net, and the minimum wage for skilled workers will be 248,178 HUF net per month. Based on this, gross hourly wages are expected to increase to HUF 1,856 and HUF 2,145, respectively.

“The minimum wage is a benchmark every year. The mandatory increase not only affects lower wage levels, but also indirectly improves the bargaining position of those working in higher categories”

– emphasized Dénes Rajmund Roland, CEO of Humán Centrum Kft.. He added that this could also generate wage tension in workplaces where the salaries of higher-paid employees are not yet settled, as they would also like to maintain the previously existing ratio compared to the minimum wage. If the employer sees that there is no room for further increases, it often postpones the wage increase until spring, so that employees in higher wage categories can only expect wage compensation 3-4 months later.

How much of a salary increase can we expect?

For companies today, it is a strategic issue not to lose their proven, high-added-value employees, since hiring and training a new colleague can involve much greater costs and risks. This is also confirmed by the data of the Central Statistical Office: the number of vacant positions has decreased significantly in recent years, while the number of advertised positions has remained essentially unchanged. “Our observation is that those organizations that have already decided on next year’s wage increase are mostly counting on a uniform, 5-10 percent increasefor the entire workforce,” said the HR expert. Where this is not possible at the moment, they are temporarily trying to increase employee satisfaction by fine-tuning benefit packages until a final decision is made on the extent of the wage increase.

Focus on cost savings

According to the experiences of the Human Center, cost savings will continue to be one of the most pressing issues for company management in 2026. Many companies have already adopted a more restrained operating model this year, accompanied by cost-cutting measures and austerity measures in several places, such as reducing production, closing certain organizational units, downsizing or introducing a headcount freeze. The background is primarily the slowing economic growth, the uncertain order backlog and the persistent increase in fixed wage costs, which together force employers to operate more cautiously.

If wage convergence takes place quickly, it will significantly increase wage costs, which requires careful consideration and alternative solutions. In this regard, Dénes Rajmund highlighted that due to rising wage costs, and where in addition a labor shortage or staffing freeze prevents the fulfillment of orders, companies are more open to cost-effective, immediately deployable atypical forms of employment: whether it is part-time opportunities, cooperative – pensioner and student employment or labor leasing. “There is a simple reason for this: for example, in the case of leasing, neither the company’s own staff nor its wage-related expenses increase, while it solves staffing problems with a short deadline even in the case of high labor demand” – he added. According to the expert, the rise of atypical employment could open up more flexible work opportunities for the inactive – including seniors, pensioners, mothers and students.