Minimum wage in Germany 2026: EUR 13.90 an hour

Who must be paid EUR 13.90

The minimum wage applies across all of Germany and every sector to employees aged 18 and over. The law excludes under-18s without completed vocational training, apprentices in vocational training, some interns and long-term unemployed people during their first six months in a new job. Some sectors have higher minimums through collective agreements declared generally binding, so check the sector before assuming EUR 13.90 is enough.

The minimum wage also drives the minijob limit: EUR 603 a month in 2026, rising to EUR 633 in 2027. A minijobber at EUR 13.90 can work about 43 hours a month before crossing it (603 / 13.90 = 43.4).

Other minimum wage rates in Germany

Germany minimum wage history

What EUR 13.90 an hour pays per month

The law sets an hourly rate only. At 40 hours a week: 13.90 x 40 x 52 / 12 = EUR 2,409.33 a month (about $2,711), or EUR 28,912 a year. Eurostat's official monthly figure for Germany is EUR 2,343, which implies about 168.6 hours a month. Use the hours in the employment contract; a shorter week pays proportionally less. In 2027 the same 40-hour month pays EUR 2,530.67.

How the rate is set, and the climb since 2022

The Minimum Wage Commission, with employer and union members and a chair, proposes new rates every two years and the federal government adopts them by ordinance. The last proposal set two steps: EUR 13.90 for 2026 and EUR 14.60 for 2027. Measured monthly by Eurostat, the German minimum wage has risen from EUR 1,634 in January 2022 to EUR 2,343 in 2026. Expect the next proposal to cover 2028 and later.

Employer social insurance on a minimum-wage job

On EUR 28,912 a year the employer pays pension insurance 9.3%, unemployment 1.3%, health 7.3% plus half the fund's additional rate (about 1.45% on the 2026 average), long-term care 1.8% (1.3% in Saxony) and the 0.15% insolvency levy: 21.30% in total, 28,912 x 21.30% = EUR 6,158.26 (about $6,930). The salary sits far below the 2026 contribution caps, so every euro is charged. Accident insurance through the trade association and the U1 sick pay and U2 maternity levies come on top at rates set by each fund. Leave and parental rules are on the German maternity leave page, and pay levels on the Germany average salary page.

Hiring in Germany without a GmbH

Without a German entity such as a GmbH, a US company can hire through an employer of record, which acts as the legal employer and runs payroll and social insurance. Published EOR fees range from $99 to $699 a month for each employee, per pricing pages checked in October 2026. Deel lists $599. Our Germany employer of record guide covers notice and dismissal rules, the EOR rankings compare providers, and the international cost calculator prices a full hire. To compare neighbors, see France, Poland or the employer cost index.