Albania
Updated January 5, 2024
Effective August 2023, the national minimum wage increased to ALL 40,000 gross per month – up from ALL 34,000.
Other relevant considerations:
- Market salary. Foreign workers must receive the market salary rate for the proposed minimum wage level.
- Compliance. The new requirements will apply to current permit holders, as well as all new, pending or renewal applications.
- Benefits and allowances. Benefits and allowances may only be included in the minimum salary calculation if they are specified in the employment contract, guaranteed and fixed, and are not paid in kind.
- Currency. Employers must ensure that the salary threshold in ALL is met, regardless of payroll location and/or exchange rate fluctuations. The exchange rate at the time of alert publication is 1 ALL to 0.0083 USD.
- Cost of living. The foreign national's salary must be sufficient to cover the cost of living of the principal and any accompanying dependents. Applicants must submit bank statements with their residence permit application to demonstrate access to sufficient funds.
Austria
Work permit minimum salary levels. Effective January 1, 2024:
- Red-White-Red Card (key employee): EUR 3,030 gross per month – up from EUR 2,925.
- EU Blue Card: EUR 3,418.22 gross per month – up from EUR 3,257.
Work authorization-exempt status minimum salary levels. As of May 2023, the minimum salary necessary for either international company executives or internationally renowned researchers to be granted work authorization-exempt status is EUR 7,272 gross per month – up from EUR 7,020. Salaries are counted over 14 payments (12 monthly payments plus two annual special payments).
Other relevant considerations:
- Austrian university graduates. As of October 2022, Red-White-Red Card holders/applicants who are graduates from Austrian universities are not subject to a minimum salary level. Rather, their minimum salary is determined by the applicable collective bargaining agreement.
- Existing employees. Employers of foreign nationals currently under a Red-White-Red Card need not increase foreign nationals' salaries to comply with the new rule.
- Unaffected categories. For the Short-Term Work Permit, the Short-Term Secondment Permit, the EU Intracompany Transferee (ICT) Permit and the Red-White-Red Card for professionals in shortage occupations, applicants and permit holders must meet the salary rate per the applicable collective bargaining agreement for the position. This requirement is not affected by the current changes. Employers are advised to monitor changes in collective bargaining agreements to ensure compliance.
- Collective bargaining agreement. Salaries must meet the salary rate set by a collective bargaining agreement for the proposed position, if applicable. Exact figures depend on the company industry and the foreign worker's qualifications and experience.
- 14 payments per year. Salaries must be paid per the above-listed amounts 14 times per year in general (applicable to local hire permits).
- Currency. Employers must guarantee the salary in EUR regardless of payroll location and/or exchange rate fluctuations.
- Dependents, If dependents are accompanying the third-country national, then the income must be sufficient to provide for the family.
- Posted worker notification requirements. The
following employees, posted by an employer based in the
EU/EEA/Switzerland are exempt from posted worker notification
requirements:
- Employees with a gross monthly salary of at least EUR 7,272, up from EUR 7,020.
Australia
Updated December 13, 2023
As of July 1, 2023, the national minimum wage increased to AUD 23.23 per hour, up from AUD 21.38. The minimum salary threshold for the Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold for employer-sponsored visa programs also increased to AUD 70,000, up from AUD 53,900.
Azerbaijan
Updated January 9, 2023
As of January 1, 2023, the national minimum wage increased to AZN 345 per month, up 15% from AZN 300 per month.
- Affected categories. The increase affects all foreign nationals who must be paid at least the minimum wage; however, there is no minimum salary level for the work permit category as long as it is above the minimum wage.
- Compliance. In case of threshold changes, salaries of current work permit holders and new applications must all meet the new threshold.
- Benefits and allowances. Benefits and allowances cannot be included in the minimum salary calculation.
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The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.