The Ministry of Human Capital, through the Secretariat of Labor, Employment and Social Security, has officially announced a new salary update for domestic workers (known in Argentina as trabajadoras de casas particulares). This measure follows an agreement reached in the National Commission for Work in Private Households and sets the increase schedule that will apply until the end of the year.
Monthly Increase Schedule
According to the official announcement, in August 2026 a 1.9% increase will be applied to the minimum wages set in July 2026. In addition, a one-time non-remunerative bonus will be paid together with that month's salaries. The bonus amount varies depending on the number of hours worked per week:
- $20,000 for those working 16 hours or more per week.
- $11,500 for those working between 12 and 16 hours per week.
- $8,000 for those working less than 12 hours per week.
The recovery plan continues as follows:
- September: 1.8% increase, and 25% of the August bonus is incorporated into the base salary.
- October: 1.7% increase, with 50% of the bonus now part of the base salary.
- November: 1.6% increase, and the remaining 25% is absorbed into the base salary.
- December: another 1.6% increase.
This scheme combines monthly minimum wage increases with the gradual absorption of the August bonus into the base salary, completing full incorporation by November.
New Salary Scale by Category (August 2026)
With the 1.9% increase applied to July values, the minimum wages are as follows:
| Category | Hourly (with room) | Hourly (without room) | Monthly (with room) | Monthly (without room) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supervisor | $4,523.11 | $4,920.88 | $564,246.70 | $624,313.90 |
| Personnel for specific tasks | $4,303.49 | $4,684.53 | $526,829.55 | $582,283.27 |
| Live-in housekeepers | — | $4,072.38 | — | $514,903.51 |
| Caregivers | $4,072.38 | $4,520.14 | $514,903.51 | $569,593.41 |
| General housework | $3,804.66 | $4,072.38 | $466,756.23 | $514,903.51 |
In all cases, the one-time non-remunerative bonus must be added to these amounts, depending on the hours worked.
Additional Payments and Payment Modalities
The salary scheme also includes a seniority bonus of 1% per year worked, calculated on monthly salaries and paid every month. The service time for this bonus is counted from September 1, 2020, with no retroactive effect.
Regarding payment method, those who work 24 hours or more per week for the same employer will be paid on a monthly basis, proportionally to the hours actually worked. Those working less than 24 hours per week will be paid on an hourly basis.
Additionally, there is a 31% unfavorable zone bonus applied to the minimum wages of each category for workers in the provinces of La Pampa, Río Negro, Chubut, Neuquén, Santa Cruz, Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and South Atlantic Islands, as well as in the Patagones district of Buenos Aires Province.
If a worker performs tasks in more than one category (for example, caring for children and also doing cleaning), she is entitled to receive the salary of the best-paid category among those she performs.
The parties agreed to reassess the economic context at the end of the year to analyze the evolution of the scales.