Mohamed Gabrán, Minister of Labor, stated that the National Wage Council is the authority responsible for setting wages. The council includes five ministers and representatives from the Federation of Industries, Chambers of Commerce, and labor unions.

He added in a televised statement on Al-Hadath Al-Youm channel that the council studies all economic aspects, including inflation rates, to set a minimum wage that everyone must adhere to. He emphasized that the ministry is the executive tool to enforce its decisions on all establishments without exception.

He pointed out that a minimum wage of 7,000 Egyptian pounds was approved last January, in addition to gradual increases and periodic allowances with a minimum of 250 pounds. The Ministry of Labor will conduct unified inspection campaigns to ensure the minimum wage is applied across all private sector companies.

He explained that the new labor law is the result of a broad social dialogue involving more than 21 seminars attended by thousands of workers and employers. A cabinet-conducted survey showed 92% satisfaction among participants.

He noted that the unemployment rate has dropped from 13% in 2014 to 6.1% currently, affirming that the country is on the right track.

He stressed that one of the state’s main goals is to integrate the informal sector into the formal economy, which will help reduce unemployment rates, especially since many jobs are marginalized and not covered by insurance.

He also mentioned that the new law requires workers to submit their resignation 10 days before leaving their job, giving the employer time to find a replacement and allowing the worker the right to retract their resignation.