Germany's 2026 Minimum Wage Rises to €13.90 as Government Signals Further Hike
From 1 January 2026, the legal minimum wage in Germany is €13.90 gross per hour, equivalent to €2,409 per month for full-time work. There is already a planned increase from 1 January 2027, when the minimum wage will rise to €14.60 per hour.
The increase in 2026, rising from €12.82 to €13.90, represents a notable increase of 8.42%, making it one of the most significant wage floor adjustments since the minimum wage was introduced in 2015. The decision to increase the minimum wage is made by a special commission—the Mindestlohnkommission—and then approved by the government.
Impact on Mini-Jobs and Work Arrangements
The minimum wage change has cascading effects on marginal employment thresholds. From 1 January 2026, the monthly earnings limit for a Mini-Job with earnings cap is €603, meaning a Mini-Jobber can work approximately 43.38 hours per month without crossing the threshold. The mini-job limit is directly linked to the minimum wage—as the hourly rate rises, so must the monthly limit, rising from €538 in 2025 to approximately €603 in 2026 and €633 in 2027.
Payroll teams must monitor working hours and total earnings to prevent inadvertent breaches, as exceeding the ceiling can reclassify employment as a midi-job or regular employment, triggering full social security deductions and changing employer cost structures.
If you work as a Mini-Jobber or plan to take side work while studying or on another visa, you should recalculate your hours immediately. The €603 monthly cap means your working hours have effectively shrunk at the same wage rate—employers may ask you to reduce hours or offer higher pay-per-hour compensation. Part-time workers, interns, and international students should verify that payroll adjustments are reflected on their contracts and tax documents.
Sources
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