The National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova (CNSM) submitted today, November 10, a request to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Alexandru Munteanu, the Minister of Finance, Andrian Gavriliță, and the Minister of Labor and Social Protection, Natalia Plugaru, calling for the minimum wage to be set at MDL 8,050 per month, starting January 1, 2026.

According to CNSM, this measure is necessary to maintain workers’ purchasing power, prevent rising poverty, and ensure a decent standard of living for workers in Moldova.

CNSM notes that in the current year, the ratio of the minimum wage to the average wage in the economy has fallen from 42.7% to 40.5%. Maintaining a low minimum wage would increase poverty among workers, particularly as monetary poverty has risen from 31.1% to 33.6% over the past two years.

“The minimum wage is an important tool for preventing poverty. However, it should fully cover the national poverty threshold, set at MDL 6,294 per month, and represent at least MDL 7,860 gross,” the CNSM request states.

The Confederation also emphasizes that, as a candidate country for European Union membership, Moldova must comply with EU Directive 2022/2041 on adequate minimum wages, which recommends that the minimum wage be at least 50% of the average gross wage or 60% of the median gross wage.

CNSM further points out that a minimum wage of MDL 8,050 would not only reduce poverty but also help prevent labor emigration and provide economic predictability for businesses and public sector wage policies.

“This increase would represent a concrete step toward fulfilling the Moldovan government’s commitment to achieving a minimum wage of MDL 10,000,” said Igor Zubcu, President of CNSM, expressing willingness for constructive dialogue with the authorities.

CNSM’s analysis of the subsistence minimum for the first half of 2025 shows that the current minimum wage of MDL 5,500 covers only 70% of the subsistence minimum for an adult and one child, which amounts to MDL 6,288.2 net. Furthermore, to ensure that the minimum wage allows for the calculation of the minimum retirement pension in 2026, taking into account its planned indexation on April 1, 2026, the minimum wage should be at least MDL 7,130.

Based on the principle that the minimum wage should reflect the real cost of living, CNSM requested in 2016 the development of a scientific methodology to estimate labor costs in Moldova. According to calculations by the National Institute for Economic Research within the Academy of Economic Sciences of Moldova (ASEM), the minimum wage in 2016 should have been MDL 12,560, which, accounting for consumer price increases, would now correspond to MDL 26,073.2. To support a family of four (two adults and two children), adults would currently need an average salary of approximately MDL 26,073.2. These figures confirm the need to set a minimum wage based on the real cost of living and adequate welfare standards.

It is also noted that, at CNSM’s request, this topic has been discussed in all sessions of the National Commission for Consultations and Collective Negotiations, ensuring medium-term predictability of the minimum wage for the entire economy and supporting the preparation of the national budget and public sector wage policies for 2026.

On November 3, 2025, consultations were held between CNSM representatives and the National Confederation of Employers of Moldova to review the minimum wage in the real sector of the national economy. During the discussions, the parties examined the draft bipartite Collective Agreement amending Collective Agreement No. 1 of November 28, 2024. The draft prepared by the unions proposes that, starting January 1, 2026, the minimum wage be set at MDL 8,050 per month.