Montenegro Government Proposes Higher Minimum Wages From January 2027

3 October 2026 · Nero Azzurro d.o.o.

In mid-September 2026 Prime Minister Milojko Spajić presented a government wage programme called the “Euro Model”. It is a proposal that has not yet become law. According to the announcement, minimum net monthly wages would rise from January 2027 depending on the education level the job requires:

€1,000 for jobs requiring primary education or lower;
€1,250 for jobs requiring secondary education;
€1,400 for jobs requiring higher education.

Under the rules used today, the minimum levels are €600 and €800 depending on qualification. The government says more than 250,000 employees in the public and private sectors would be covered.

What the government said about employer costs

In an example given with the announcement, an employer who now spends about €1,980 in total for a €1,600 net salary would, with the same spending, pay a net salary of about €1,870 after the change. The full new tax and contribution rates had not been published in the reports we reviewed.

Reaction

The Montenegrin Employers Federation has not yet supported the proposal and asked for full calculations of the effect on payroll taxes, contributions and company costs.

Status

The government has adopted a package of legislative measures for the new model. In the reports we reviewed (20 and 25 September 2026) the final tax and contribution rates were not published and approval in parliament was not confirmed. This is a proposal, not a law, and there is no certainty that it will pass or that it will pass in this form.

What this may mean for company owners

Our interpretation, not confirmed:

the minimum you must pay an employee may increase from January 2027;
payroll taxes and contributions may change;
the director of a company who applies for or renews a residence permit is currently expected to receive a salary of at least €600 or €800 depending on qualification; whether this requirement will follow the new wage floors has not been stated by the authorities.

We will update this page if and when the law is adopted and the new rates are published. If you are planning a company, we can model payroll costs under both the current and the planned rules.

Sources

Published 3 October 2026. Information is general and not legal or tax advice; figures are quoted as announced.