Minimum wages and benefits increase as of January 1st, 2020
Income in the Caribbean Netherlands continues to rise as of January 1st, 2020. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment raises the minimum wage on Bonaire by 6.2%, on Saba by 5.3% and on St. Eustatius by 2.7%. Inflation is included in this. The amounts of the various benefits will also increase.
Parents and guardians will also receive more child benefit in 2020. For Bonaire this amount will be $ 83 per child per month. For Saba this amount is $ 84 and for St. Eustatius $ 85. From 2020 there will also be a supplement for fully and permanently disabled people and for those entitled to Old Age Pension (AOV). With this supplement their income per month will at least equal the Statutory Minimum Wage.
The government has indicated in their agreement that the priority for the Caribbean Netherlands is to improve the economic perspective. To achieve this, incomes must go up and the cost of living must go down. At the beginning of 2019, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment introduced a first package of measures to increase the Statutory Minimum Wage, child benefit and social relief. Employer's premiums were also reduced, giving them room to increase employee wages. With the measures taken as of January 1st, 2020, the Ministry is introducing a next package.
The final amounts will be published in the ‘Staatscourant’.