Egypt announced that January marks the beginning of increased salaries for private sector workers, with a minimum wage of LE 2,400 – a first for the nation’s private sector. The National Council for Wages decided that the implementation of the minimum wage for the private sector will be mandatory as of January 1. Minister of Planning and Economic Development and head of the National Council for Wages, Hala al-Saeed, said that implementing the minimum wage for workers and the periodic bonus in the private sector is an unprecedented move. The National Council for Wages received 5,945 requests from private sector establishments in 22 sectors to exclude them from applying the minimum wage due to their economic conditions. The National Council for Wages is responsible for setting a minimum wage at the national level and reviewing the minimum wage at the end of each fiscal year.
