Quick answer
The minimum salary in Nepal is Rs 19,550 a month: a basic salary of Rs 12,170 and a dearness allowance of Rs 7,380. It took effect on 1 Shrawan 2082 and remains in force for 2083/84. The daily minimum is Rs 754 and the hourly minimum Rs 101. It applies to private-sector workers; tea estates have a separate rate.
Nepal’s minimum wage is fixed by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security under the Labour Act 2074, and no employer and employee can agree to less. This page gives the amount in force, what must be paid on top of it, and what to do if you are paid below it.
On this page
Minimum wage in Nepal 2083/84: the figures
The monthly figure was reported by Onlinekhabar when it was fixed in July 2025; the previous minimum was Rs 17,300. The Department of Printing lists the notice in the Nepal Gazette under the date 2082/04/05. The daily and hourly breakdown is as summarised by a law firm from the notice. We could not open the gazette text itself, so treat the split of the daily and hourly rates as reported.
| Period | Basic | Dearness allowance | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per month | Rs 12,170 | Rs 7,380 | Rs 19,550 |
| Per day | Rs 470 | Rs 284 | Rs 754 |
| Per hour | Rs 63 | Rs 38 | Rs 101 |
| Per hour, part-time worker | — | — | Rs 107 |
Is there a new minimum salary for 2083/84?
No. Section 106 of the Labour Act says the ministry fixes the minimum remuneration “every two years”, and that it comes into force on the first day of a new fiscal year. The current rate began on 1 Shrawan 2082, so it covers both 2082/83 and 2083/84, and the next revision is due on 1 Shrawan 2084. No new rate had been announced when this page was written; in September 2026 a district committee in Kaski was still pressing employers to pay the existing one.
What an employer must pay on top of the minimum salary
The minimum is not the whole cost of a worker or the whole of what you are owed. Under the Labour Act 2074:
| Entitlement | Rule | On a basic of Rs 12,170 |
|---|---|---|
| Provident fund | 10% of basic deducted from you, matched by 10% from the employer | Rs 1,217 + Rs 1,217 |
| Gratuity | 8.33% of basic each month, from the first day | Rs 1,014 |
| Social Security Fund | Paid as 11% from the employee and 20% from the employer, which covers the two lines above | Rs 1,339 from you, Rs 2,434 from the employer |
| Festival expense | One month’s basic remuneration a year, usually at Dashain | Rs 12,170 |
| Overtime | 1.5 times the basic rate; at most 4 hours a day and 24 a week | Rs 94.50 an hour |
| Annual increment | At least half a day’s basic remuneration after each year of service | Rs 203 |
Take-home pay on the minimum salary
If your employer is registered with the Social Security Fund, 11% of your basic salary is deducted: Rs 1,339. That leaves Rs 18,211 in hand from Rs 19,550, while Rs 3,773 a month goes into your fund account. At this income the only tax is the 1% social security tax, which is not charged on top when you contribute to the fund. The income tax calculator shows the figures for any salary.
Who the minimum wage covers
- Covered: workers in private enterprises — factories, shops, hotels, schools, hospitals, offices and construction — whether permanent, on contract or paid daily.
- Tea estates: a separate, lower rate. Producers and three unions agreed Rs 565 a day and Rs 15,699 a month from 1 Shrawan 2082, as reported by Ratopati; we could not confirm that it was published in the gazette.
- Not covered: government employees, who have their own scale.
- Part-time workers are paid by the hour, at the part-time hourly rate.
- Trainees and interns are treated differently under the Act; the internship in Nepal guide explains what applies.
If you are paid less than the minimum salary
- 1Check your appointment letter and pay slip. The basic salary and dearness allowance should each be shown.
- 2Raise it with the employer in writing and keep a copy. The निवेदन tool writes a formal application in Nepali.
- 3Go to the Labour and Employment Office for your district. You make a complaint about pay below the minimum there, and the office can order payment.
- 4If there is a trade union at your workplace, involve it; unions sit on the committee that recommends the rate.
- 5Keep evidence: attendance, bank transfers, messages about pay, and the names of colleagues paid the same way.
Common questions
What is the minimum salary in Nepal in 2083/84?
Rs 19,550 a month: a basic salary of Rs 12,170 and a dearness allowance of Rs 7,380. It has been in force since 1 Shrawan 2082 and was not revised for 2083/84.
What is the minimum wage in Nepal per day?
Rs 754 a day, made up of Rs 470 basic and Rs 284 dearness allowance.
What is the minimum wage in Nepal per hour?
Rs 101 an hour for a regular worker and Rs 107 an hour for a part-time worker.
What is the basic salary in Nepal as per the Labour Act?
The basic part of the minimum salary is Rs 12,170 a month. Provident fund, gratuity, the festival expense and overtime are all calculated on the basic salary, not on the total.
When will the minimum salary in Nepal increase?
The Labour Act requires the rate to be fixed every two years, starting on the first day of a fiscal year. The current rate began on 1 Shrawan 2082, so the next revision is due on 1 Shrawan 2084.
Does the minimum wage apply to government employees?
No. Government employees are paid on the national salary scale, which was revised from 1 Shrawan 2083. The minimum wage notice covers private-sector workers.
Is Social Security Fund contribution included in the minimum salary?
No. The employer pays 20% of basic on top, and the worker pays 11%. On the minimum, that is Rs 2,434 from the employer and Rs 1,339 from the worker each month.
