Minimum Wage Increase Guatemala 2026 vs 2025: +8.4% Non-Agricultural

This page compares Guatemala’s minimum wage between 2025 and 2026 — what changed, by how much, the legal decrees involved, and how the changes play out in different sectors and economic zones.

TL;DR: Guatemala’s 2026 minimum wage went up 8.4% for Non-Agricultural workers in Guatemala department (CE1), from Q3,922.32/month total in 2025 to Q4,252.28/month total in 2026. The increase was set by Acuerdo Gubernativo 256-2025 (Government Decree 256-2025), published in the Diario Oficial on December 22, 2025, and effective from January 1, 2026. The 2025 figure itself was set by the final form of Acuerdo Gubernativo 264-2024 (after a three-decree saga in late 2024). The Q250 Bonificación incentivo remains frozen at the same Q250 it has been since 1989 — it does not increase with the annual decree.

Quick facts

Full 2026 vs 2025 comparison table

CE1 — Guatemala department

CE2 — other 21 departments

2026 figures verified against AG 256-2025. 2025 figures derived from AG 264-2024 final form. CE2 sector totals are calculated.

What the 8.4% increase looks like in real terms

For a Non-Agricultural CE1 worker on the minimum wage:

The annual gross increase of Q4,619.76 includes the higher monthly cash plus the higher Bono 14 and Aguinaldo (which are calculated on the base salary — Q4,002.28 in 2026 vs Q3,672.32 in 2025).

Historical context — minimum wage trajectory 2020-2026

Non-Agricultural CE1 totals (base + Q250 bonus):

The 2025 and 2026 increases (+9.8% and +8.4%) are the largest in recent memory, partly catching up after the flat 2021 pandemic year and several years of below-inflation adjustments.

The 2025 decree saga (AG 258-2024 → AG 263-2024 → AG 264-2024)

For context — and to understand why a single year of minimum wage in Guatemala can be cited under multiple decree numbers — here’s the 2025 process:

1. AG 258-2024 issued late December 2024 — initial 2025 wage figure.
2. AG 263-2024 issued shortly after — derogated AG 258-2024 and set a revised figure.
3. AG 264-2024 issued at the very end of 2024 — final form, replacing AG 263-2024. This is the decree actually in force during 2025.

The back-and-forth reflected disagreement between the government’s initial proposal, employer-side push for lower figures, and worker-side push for higher figures at the National Wage Commission. The final AG 264-2024 set the 2025 Non-Agricultural CE1 figure at Q3,672.32 base + Q250 = Q3,922.32 total.

For 2026, the process was cleaner — a single decree (AG 256-2025), issued December 22, 2025, with no revisions.

How the National Wage Commission decides

The Comisión Nacional del Salario (National Wage Commission) is the tripartite body that recommends annual adjustments. Composition:

• Government representatives (MINTRAB, Ministry of Economy)
• Employer-side representatives (CACIF chamber of commerce and others)
• Worker-side representatives (unions and worker federations)

Criteria considered (per ILO Convention 131 and MINTRAB methodology):

1. Workers’ needs and family cost of living — referencing INE Canasta Básica data
2. General level of wages in the economy — comparison with private-sector wage levels
3. Social security benefits — IGSS context
4. Economic factors — GDP growth, inflation forecast, fiscal position
5. Productivity — labor productivity trends
6. Inflation catch-up — gap between previous adjustment and realized inflation
7. GDP growth vs population growth — sustainability of wage levels
8. Real income gap — average wages vs minimum wage

The commission usually meets multiple times between July and November, finalizes a recommendation in November-December, and MINTRAB issues the Government Decree before year-end.

What employers should do in January 2026

If you employ anyone at or near the minimum wage:

1. Update payroll system with new base figures (Q4,002.28 CE1 / Q3,816.90 CE2 / etc.)
2. Recalculate IGSS contributions — both employer (~12.67%) and worker (~4.83%) share now apply to the new base
3. Notify workers in writing of the adjustment (not legally mandatory but recommended)
4. Adjust paystubs showing the two line items clearly: new base salary + Q250 Bonificación incentivo
5. Apply retroactively if you were late — the increase took effect Jan 1, 2026

What workers should do

1. Check your January paystub — base should reflect the new 2026 figure for your sector/zone
2. Verify the Q250 bonus is still on the paystub — frozen at Q250 but must still be paid
3. If still on 2025 wage in February 2026: ask employer; if no response, file complaint at MINTRAB

Sector-specific notes

Non-Agricultural sector (largest)

Covers commerce, services, industry, offices, construction, transport, professional services. The Q4,252.28/month CE1 / Q4,066.90/month CE2 minimum is the most commonly referenced figure when people discuss “minimum wage in Guatemala.”

Agricultural sector

Slightly lower minimum, historically justified by the sector’s economic structure (smaller margins, seasonal patterns). The 2026 Agricultural CE1 minimum of Q4,041.20 is Q211 lower than Non-Agricultural CE1.

Maquila / Export sector

The lowest of the three minimums. Historically justified as an “export incentive” — keeping labor costs competitive against Asian and Central American competitors. The 2026 Maquila CE1 minimum of Q3,659.73 is Q593 lower than Non-Agricultural CE1.

Critical note for mixed-task workers: If a worker performs duties in multiple sectors, the highest applicable minimum wage must be paid — not the lowest. A maquila worker who also handles non-agricultural tasks gets the Non-Agricultural rate.

What didn’t change in 2026

• Q250 Bonificación incentivo — still Q250/month, unchanged since 1989
• Workday limits (Labor Code Art. 116) — 8h daytime / 6h nighttime / 7h mixed
• Workweek limits — 44h daytime / 36h nighttime / 42h mixed
• Bono 14 / Aguinaldo formula — calculated on new base salary, but Q250 still excluded
• Severance formula — still one base salary per year of service
• Vacation entitlement — still 15 working days per year of service

Sources

• Ministerio de Trabajo y Previsión Social (MINTRAB) — Acuerdo Gubernativo Número 256-2025, published in the Diario Oficial December 22, 2025.
• Acuerdo Gubernativo Número 264-2024 (final 2025 figure) and predecessors AG 258-2024 (derogated) and AG 263-2024.
• Acuerdo Gubernativo Número 285-2021 — reformed CE1/CE2 framework.
• Acuerdo Gubernativo Número 776-94 — foundational salary decree.
• Código de Trabajo de Guatemala — Decreto 14-41, Articles 103-113.
• Decreto 78-89 del Congreso — Ley de Bonificación Incentivo (Q250 frozen baseline).
• International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 131 — Minimum Wage Fixing.
• Verified: May 2026.