Labor Market
Spain Increases Minimum Hourly Wage for Domestic Workers: How to Avoid Fines
Shon Preinesbergers
Starting in 2025, Spain will increase the minimum hourly wage for domestic workers. Now, if you employ a nanny, a housekeeper, or a caregiver, their minimum wage will be €9.26 per hour. This change is part of the overall rise in the minimum wage approved by the government.
Anyone hiring a domestic worker for paid work is required to register them in the Social Security system, regardless of the number of hours worked.
✅ If you hire a cleaner once a week for 3 hours, registration is mandatory.
✅ If a nanny only works in the evenings, registration is also required.
✅ Even if you pay in cash, this does not exempt you from the obligation to register them.
The registration process can be completed digitally using an electronic signature. Applications can be submitted up to 60 days before the job starts or within one month after it begins.
Once registered, the worker will receive a confirmation via SMS or email. If they do not receive a notification, it is advisable to check whether the contact details were entered correctly.
How Will Wages Change?
Imagine you hire a housekeeper twice a week for 4 hours. In 2024, their minimum monthly earnings were €151.20 (at €9.45 per hour). With the new rate in 2025, they will receive €160.64 per month for the same hours worked.
Another example: is if you employ a caregiver for an elderly relative for 3 hours per day, their monthly salary will increase by approximately €23.
It’s important to remember that the €9.26 per hour wage already includes paid leave and extra payments. This means that the employer does not have to make additional payments during vacation periods or months when bonuses are paid.
This wage increase is linked to the overall rise in Spain’s Minimum Wage, which will go from €1,133 to €1,183 per month. The decision applies retroactively from January 1, 2025, meaning workers will receive back payments for the previous months.
This reform aims to protect the rights of domestic workers, most of whom are women employed in private households without official contracts. Now they have stronger legal guarantees, and those hiring domestic help should stay informed about these changes to avoid fines.
✅ If you hire a cleaner once a week for 3 hours, registration is mandatory.
✅ If a nanny only works in the evenings, registration is also required.
✅ Even if you pay in cash, this does not exempt you from the obligation to register them.
The registration process can be completed digitally using an electronic signature. Applications can be submitted up to 60 days before the job starts or within one month after it begins.
Once registered, the worker will receive a confirmation via SMS or email. If they do not receive a notification, it is advisable to check whether the contact details were entered correctly.
How Will Wages Change?
Imagine you hire a housekeeper twice a week for 4 hours. In 2024, their minimum monthly earnings were €151.20 (at €9.45 per hour). With the new rate in 2025, they will receive €160.64 per month for the same hours worked.
Another example: is if you employ a caregiver for an elderly relative for 3 hours per day, their monthly salary will increase by approximately €23.
It’s important to remember that the €9.26 per hour wage already includes paid leave and extra payments. This means that the employer does not have to make additional payments during vacation periods or months when bonuses are paid.
This wage increase is linked to the overall rise in Spain’s Minimum Wage, which will go from €1,133 to €1,183 per month. The decision applies retroactively from January 1, 2025, meaning workers will receive back payments for the previous months.
This reform aims to protect the rights of domestic workers, most of whom are women employed in private households without official contracts. Now they have stronger legal guarantees, and those hiring domestic help should stay informed about these changes to avoid fines.
