Short answer
Salaries in European vacancies are stated as gross figures. Income tax and social contributions are deducted by law, and accommodation, transport or work clothing may be deducted by agreement. Your net pay is always lower than the gross figure. Ask for the full calculation in writing before you agree to a vacancy.
The most common misunderstanding
A vacancy says “2,000 per month”. A candidate imagines 2,000 arriving in their account. Then the first payslip shows considerably less, and the candidate feels cheated. In most cases nobody lied; the number was gross, and nobody explained what gross means. We publish every salary as a gross figure, and we explain the difference before you decide.
Gross salary
The gross salary is the amount the employer pays for your work before anything is taken off. It is the number used in the employment contract and the number that must respect the country’s minimum wage. It can be stated per hour or per month. For hourly pay, your monthly gross depends on the hours you actually work, so ask how many hours are guaranteed.
Legal deductions
In every European country, the employer deducts from your gross salary and pays on your behalf:
- income tax, at a rate that depends on the country, your income level and sometimes your tax residence status;
- social contributions, which fund pension, health and unemployment insurance.
These deductions are not optional and are not a sign of a bad employer. They are what makes the job legal and what gives you health insurance and, over time, pension rights. The rates are set by law and change from year to year; the official sources for your destination country are the only reliable reference.
Deductions by agreement
Some employers deduct additional amounts that must be written in your contract or a separate written agreement:
- accommodation provided by the employer;
- transport to the workplace;
- work clothing or equipment, in some cases;
- advance payments you asked for.
These deductions are legal only when you agreed to them in writing and when the law of the country allows them. Any deduction that appears on your payslip without a written basis should be questioned.
Net salary
Net salary is what remains after legal and agreed deductions: the amount that reaches your bank account. When a responsible calculation is possible, our vacancies show an estimated net figure, always marked as an estimate. Your actual net pay depends on your hours, your tax status and the deductions you agreed to.
Overtime, night and weekend supplements
Most countries require extra pay for overtime and for night, Sunday or holiday work. The rates differ by country and sometimes by contract type. A vacancy that promises “up to X per month” usually assumes overtime; ask what the base is without overtime.
Different contract types pay differently
Some countries have several types of contract, and they differ in tax treatment, paid leave, sick pay and the right to end the contract. Always ask which type you are offered and what it means in practice. The EURES page for your destination country describes the main contract types in plain language.
Questions to ask before you accept
- Is the salary gross or net?
- Per hour or per month? How many hours are guaranteed?
- Which legal deductions apply, and roughly how much do they add up to?
- Which deductions by agreement will there be, and how much?
- How is overtime paid?
- What type of contract is it, and does it include paid leave and sick pay?
- When and how is the salary paid?
If the recruiter cannot answer these in writing, the vacancy is not ready to be accepted.
