Seaman Salary: The ITF Minimum Scale by Rank
Cross-agency · employment
Quick answer
On the ITF interpretation of the ILO minimum, an able seafarer's basic wage is US$690 a month from 1 January 2026, or US$1,212 with leave pay and 104 hours of guaranteed overtime. A master's is US$2,325 basic and US$4,083 all in. These are floors, not offers.
Every figure on this page is from official published documents: International Transport Workers' Federation and LawPhil Project.
Last verified 2 sources, listed below
International Transport Workers' Federation | ITF ILO Minimum Wage Scale, from 1 January 20261 · LawPhil Project | Republic Act No. 12021, the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers2. PHGuides is independent and not affiliated with any agency.
There is no single seaman’s salary. There is a rank, and a floor for that rank, and the floor is published.
The scale below is the ITF ILO Minimum Wage Scale, the ITF’s interpretation of the ILO recommended minimum for an able seafarer, extended across the ranks on ITF Standard Agreement differentials. Rates apply from 1 January 2026.
The scale, rank by rank
| Rank | Basic pay | Leave pay | Total before overtime | Total with 104 hours overtime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master | US$2,325 | US$193.72 | US$2,630 | US$4,083 |
| Chief Engineer | US$2,113 | US$176.07 | US$2,390 | US$3,711 |
| Chief Officer, 1st Engineer | US$1,501 | US$125.06 | US$1,698 | US$2,636 |
| 2nd Engineer, 2nd Officer, Radio Officer, Electrical Engineer, Chief Steward or Cook | US$1,202 | US$100.17 | US$1,360 | US$2,111 |
| 3rd Engineer, 3rd Officer | US$1,159 | US$96.54 | US$1,311 | US$2,035 |
| Bosun, Pumpman | US$771 | US$64.23 | US$872 | US$1,354 |
| AB, ERR | US$690 | US$57.50 | US$781 | US$1,212 |
| Steward | US$588 | US$48.99 | US$665 | US$1,033 |
| OS, junior ERR | US$513 | US$42.78 | US$581 | US$902 |
A master’s all-in figure is 4.5 times an ordinary seaman’s. From OS to AB is a rise of US$310 a month all in, and from AB to bosun another US$142. Those are arithmetic on the published figures.
How the total is built
The headline basic wage is under half of what an able seafarer is credited with once the scale is complete.
| Component | For an AB | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Basic pay | US$690 | The ILO recommended minimum |
| Daily wage | US$23.00 | Basic divided by 30 |
| Leave pay | US$57.50 | 2.5 days a month, at one thirtieth of basic |
| Leave pay for public holidays | US$33.17 | Paid at the overtime rate |
| Guaranteed overtime | US$431 | 104 hours at US$4.15 |
| Total | US$1,212 |
Overtime is 1.25 times the normal hourly rate, on a 48 hour normal week and a 72 hour maximum week, which is where 104 hours comes from. Basic pay is 57 percent of the all-in figure, so anyone quoting only a basic wage is quoting a little over half the number.
What happens next
The Joint Maritime Commission has already set the next two steps, so a multi-year contract can be checked against them.
| From | AB basic | AB all in | Master all in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January 2026 | US$690 | US$1,212 | US$4,083 |
| 1 January 2027 | US$704 | US$1,237 | US$4,166 |
| 1 January 2028 | US$715 | US$1,256 | US$4,231 |
The increases were agreed at meetings on 14 and 15 April 2025, from a then current AB basic of US$673. Over the three steps the AB basic rises US$42, about 6.2 percent.
What the Philippine law adds
RA 12021, the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, approved 23 September 2024, does not print a wage figure. It points to the Standard Employment Contract and to the prevailing industry standard, and then sets rules around the money.
| Section | Rule |
|---|---|
| 36 | Annual leave calculated on a minimum of 3.5 calendar days per month of employment |
| 37 | The minimum wage shall be as provided in the SEC, in no case lower than the prevailing industry standard, and paid in full at least once a month |
| 38 | The allotment shall be at least 80 percent of monthly salary, payable once a month, to an allottee in the Philippines, at no expense to the seafarer |
| 39 | No deduction without the seafarer’s prior written consent, unless the contract, the SEC or the law provides for it |
| 40 | The shipowner reimburses loss or damage to personal effects from shipwreck, stranding, abandonment, fire, flooding, collision or piracy |
Two of those are worth pausing on.
The 80 percent allotment is not optional. The Act says 80 percent of “monthly salary” and does not define whether that means basic pay or the wage including overtime, so the amount depends on which the contract uses. Read against an AB’s all-in US$1,212, the allotment is US$969.60 and about US$242 stays in hand on board. Read against the US$690 basic alone it is US$552.00. Both are arithmetic on the published figures, and the contract decides which applies.
And the leave rule is more generous than the MLC. The ITF scale values leave at 2.5 days a month. Section 36 sets a Philippine minimum of 3.5 calendar days per month of employment, a full day more.
What the scale is not
It is a floor, and floors are the least informative number in any wage document. ITF says plainly that a seafarer on a vessel covered by an ITF agreement is entitled to the wages in that agreement, which can be higher. Wage levels on national flag vessels can be set by a national collective agreement instead.
It also assumes a specific ship. The crew list behind the scale is illustrative only: 23 crew, of whom 12 are ratings, being ITF Manning Scale No. 5 for vessels over 20,000 GT, and the pumpman line applies to tankers only.
Non-payment is a live risk rather than a theoretical one. ITF reports that in 2022 alone its inspectors recovered more than USD 35 million in wages owed to seafarers.
The Philippine documents behind the job
| Document | What it is |
|---|---|
| Seafarer’s Identification and Record Book | The seaman’s book itself |
| MARINA Certificate of Proficiency | ₱130.00 |
| STCW certificate | The training standard |
| OWWA membership | USD 25 |
Penalties under RA 12021 run to an administrative fine of ₱100,000.00 to ₱1,000,000.00 for a shipowner who cannot produce a valid Maritime Labour Certificate when required, and ₱200,000.00 to ₱2,000,000.00 or imprisonment for obstructing DOLE, the PCG or MARINA.
Related
The seaman’s book guide covers the record book every Filipino seafarer needs, the MARINA COP guide covers the certificate of proficiency, the cruise ship hiring guide covers why a cruise job may carry no placement fee at all, and the nurse salary abroad comparison is the other occupation on this site where a destination publishes real pay figures.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a seaman earn?
- It depends entirely on rank. On the ITF scale from 1 January 2026, an able seafarer's basic wage is US$690 a month and US$1,212 with leave pay and 104 hours of overtime. A master is on US$2,325 basic and US$4,083 all in.
- Is that what I will actually be paid?
- No. It is a minimum interpretation, not an offer. ITF states that if your vessel is covered by an ITF agreement you are entitled to the wages in that agreement, which can sit above this scale. The scale is the floor to check an offer against.
- Where does the US$690 come from?
- The Joint Maritime Commission at the ILO. At meetings on 14 and 15 April 2025 it agreed phased increases to the then current able seafarer basic wage of US$673: to US$690 from 1 January 2026, US$704 from 1 January 2027 and US$715 from 1 January 2028.
- How is the overtime figure built?
- At 1.25 times the normal hourly rate, on a 48 hour working week and a maximum working week of 72 hours, which is where the 104 hours comes from. For an able seafarer that is US$4.15 an hour and US$431 a month.
- How is leave pay calculated?
- At 2.5 days a month, valued at one thirtieth of the monthly basic wage per day. For an able seafarer on US$690 that is a daily wage of US$23.00 and leave pay of US$57.50 a month.
- How much of my pay must go home?
- At least 80 percent. Section 38 of RA 12021 requires the seafarer to make an allotment payable once a month to a designated allottee in the Philippines through any authorised Philippine bank, at no expense to the seafarer.
- Does Philippine law give more leave than the MLC?
- Yes, on the face of the two documents. The ITF scale values leave at 2.5 days a month under the MLC. Section 36 of RA 12021 provides annual leave calculated on a minimum of 3.5 calendar days per month of employment.
- Can my employer deduct from my wages?
- Only within limits. Section 39 of RA 12021 provides that unless stipulated in the employment contract or the SEC, or otherwise provided by law, a deduction is not allowed without the seafarer's prior written consent.