Unprecedented Pay Hike for Syrians by Presidential Decree

Syrian President Ahmed Shar’a announced today a 200% increase in salaries and pensions for public sector employees and retirees, starting July. The minimum wage will rise to 750,000 Syrian pounds.**

Under Presidential Decree No. 102 of 2025, the 200% raise applies to all civilian and military workers in ministries, government agencies, public institutions, state-owned enterprises, and administrative units — as well as joint ventures in which the state holds at least a 50% stake.

The finance minister has been tasked with issuing executive regulations and preparing the necessary legal instruments.

Saudi Arabia and Qatar had previously pledged to cover public sector salaries for three months following the lifting of U.S. sanctions.

Syria continues to grapple with rampant inflation, soaring food and transportation costs, and severely underpaid civil servants — whose wages had dipped below $30 during the Assad era.

President Shar’a had issued a 500,000-pound holiday grant ahead of Eid al-Adha, but a technical glitch in the pension system delayed its disbursement, according to the Ministry of Finance.

Employees also face challenges withdrawing their wages due to a shortage of functioning ATMs and depleted machines. Meanwhile, the Central Bank has tightened cash supply to curb the dollar’s rise, which exceeded 10,000 Syrian pounds on the black market today.

The new government had pledged a 400% salary hike after Assad’s fall but was unable to fulfill that promise due to obstacles — chiefly restrictions on foreign transfers caused by ongoing Western sanctions.

Moumin sawady