The draft also aims to strengthen collective bargaining at national, sectoral and enterprise levels so that negotiable wages exceed the legal minimum. In this regard, a response mechanism is envisaged in the event that collective bargaining coverage falls below 80% – in such a situation, the authorities will be required to develop a remedial action plan.
At the same time, the Government will appoint an advisory body to deal with issues related to the minimum wage in cooperation with the social partners.
The authorities claim that these changes are necessary to reduce poverty among the working population, to increase pay equity and to bring it in line with European standards, as well as to relate the minimum wage to the cost of living and labor productivity.
In the Republic of Moldova, according to the approved data for 2026, the national minimum wage is 6,300 lei per month, which is 15% higher than in 2025 (5,500 lei). The average monthly wage for the economy in 2026 is about 17,400 lei per month (the projected value officially used for labor compensation calculations and policies).
