SMIC for 20 hours per week in 2026: gross salary, net salary and calculation
01 June 2026 · 3 min reading time
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A 20-hour-per-week contract is one of the most common part-time formats, especially among students, employees holding several jobs or people looking for a reduced working schedule. However, it is not always easy to know whether the salary paid is correct, especially after a mid-year increase in the French minimum wage.
Since June 1, 2026, a 20-hour-per-week contract paid at the SMIC corresponds to €1,066.87 gross per month, or approximately €844.53 net. Salary calculation, payslip verification, legal framework and additional hours: here are the key points to check.
Key points to remember about the 20-hour SMIC in 2026
SMIC for 20 hours per week in 2026: €1,066.87 gross, €844.53 net
If you have a 20-hour-per-week contract and want to check whether your salary is correct, since June 1, 2026, this contract should pay you €1,066.87 gross per month, or approximately €844.53 net.
| Full-time 35 h/week | 20 h/week | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly hours | 151.67 h | 86.67 h |
| Monthly gross salary | €1,867.02 | €1,066.87 |
| Estimated monthly net salary | €1,477.93 | €844.53 |
| Annual gross salary | €22,404.24 | €12,802.44 |
| Estimated annual net salary | €17,735.16 | €10,134.36 |
The net salary remains an estimate. Your payslip may show a slightly different amount depending on your company health insurance, income tax withholding, benefits in kind or specific contractual terms.
Good to know: with around €844 net per month, a 20-hour salary at the SMIC remains below the poverty line in France, set at €1,288 per month for a single person according to the latest data published by INSEE. If this salary is your only income, you may be eligible for the activity bonus paid by CAF, subject to income conditions.
Is your 20-hour contract compliant?
The legal minimum duration for a part-time contract is generally 24 hours per week. A 20-hour contract is therefore below this threshold. This does not automatically make it illegal, but it must fall within a specific legal framework.
A 20-hour contract may be valid if you requested this reduced working time in writing, if you are a student under 26, or if a sector-level agreement authorizes a shorter working time in your industry.
This is why 20-hour contracts are common among students working alongside their studies, or among employees holding several jobs who need more flexibility in their schedule.
However, if you never requested this duration and your employer imposes a contract below 24 hours without a legal or collective-agreement justification, you can ask to move to the minimum duration of 24 hours per week. Article L3123-27 of the French Labour Code sets out this minimum duration.
Special case: students under 26
Students are among the groups most concerned by 20-hour contracts. The salary calculation method remains the same: the hourly SMIC rate is multiplied by the number of monthly hours.
However, two points require particular attention. If you receive a needs-based student grant, housing benefits or certain family benefits, your salary may affect your entitlements. It is therefore useful to run a simulation to check the impact of your earnings on your benefits.
For students under 26, a contract below 24 hours is one of the exceptions provided by law. It allows them to work part-time while keeping a workload compatible with their studies.
How to check your salary on your payslip
To check your salary, start by identifying the gross hourly rate shown on your payslip. Since June 1, 2026, it cannot be lower than €12.31 gross if you are paid at the SMIC.
Then multiply this rate by your monthly hours. For a 20-hour-per-week contract, the number of monthly hours is 86.67 hours.
Formula:
gross hourly rate × monthly hours = monthly gross salary
At the SMIC since June 1, 2026:
€12.31 × 86.67 h = €1,066.87 gross
Based on the estimated full-time monthly net SMIC, the net salary for 20 hours per week is approximately:
€1,477.93 × 20 ÷ 35 = €844.53 net
A 20-hour contract represents around 57% of a full-time job. Your salary therefore follows the same proportion. If your gross salary is below €1,066.87 for 20 hours per week at the SMIC, your employer is not complying with the legal minimum wage.
If your net salary is below €844 while your gross salary is correct, check the contribution lines on your payslip, especially company health insurance, benefits in kind or income tax withholding.
Please note: some sector-level collective agreements set a minimum hourly rate higher than the SMIC. If you work in construction, transport, restaurants, retail or another sector covered by a more favorable pay scale, your employer must apply the collective-agreement rate whenever it exceeds €12.31 gross per hour.
Additional hours on a 20-hour contract
In a part-time contract, hours worked beyond the duration stated in the contract are called additional hours. They should not be confused with overtime, which applies to full-time employees.
Without a collective agreement, the limit for additional hours is set at one-tenth of the contractual working time. For a 20-hour-per-week contract, this means a maximum of 2 additional hours per week.
However, a sector-level agreement may increase this limit to one-third of the contractual working time, i.e. around 6.67 additional hours per week for a 20-hour contract. In all cases, the total number of hours worked must never reach the legal full-time duration of 35 hours per week.
These additional hours must appear separately on the payslip and be paid at a higher rate:
- Within the limit of one-tenth of the contract: a 10% increase, i.e. €13.54 gross per hour at the 2026 SMIC.
- Beyond that, if permitted by a sector-level agreement: a 25% increase, i.e. €15.39 gross per hour.
You can refuse to work additional hours if the employer does not comply with the required notice period, if the requested volume exceeds the authorized limits, or if these hours are not provided for under the conditions set out in your contract.
Benefits and income supplements with a salary of €844 net
A salary of €844 net per month may give access to several support schemes, depending on your personal situation, housing, age and household composition.
| Benefit | Organization | Indicative amount | Simulation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Activity bonus | CAF | Variable depending on income and household situation | caf.fr |
| APL, housing benefit | CAF | Variable depending on rent and geographical area | caf.fr |
| Complementary health insurance support | Ameli / CPAM | Free or low-cost health insurance depending on income | ameli.fr |
The activity bonus is the benefit most directly linked to low or moderate wages. It can supplement the income of a part-time employee, but its amount depends on many criteria: salary, other income, housing benefits, relationship status or dependent children.
Tip: the mesdroitssociaux.gouv.fr simulator allows you to check all the benefits you may be entitled to in a single simulation. It takes into account your salary, housing and family situation.
To find out more about your rights as a part-time employee, possible benefits and the rules common to all reduced-hours contracts, read our full guide: Part-time SMIC 2026.
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