In Israel, the minimum wage refers to the lowest gross wage per month. In December 2014 it was announced that the minimum wage would gradually be increase over the course of the next two years: on April 1, 2015 to NIS 4,650; then to NIS 4,825 in July 2016, and finally to NIS 5,000 in January 2017. In January 2015, 700,00 Israelis workers were under the minimum wage.