Germany Minimum Wage 2027: €14.60 per Hour from January

What is changing?

The general statutory hourly floor increases to €14.60. Employers must still apply any higher contractual, collective-agreement or sector minimum that covers the job.

Because the Minijob earnings limit is linked to the statutory minimum wage, its regular monthly limit increases to €633. The averaging and occasional-excess rules do not disappear.

When does it take effect?

The new amounts apply from 1 January 2027. Until 31 December 2026, the current €13.90 hourly minimum and €603 Minijob limit remain in place.

Who is affected?

• Employees whose contractual hourly pay would otherwise fall below the new statutory floor.
• Minijob workers and employers planning hours around the monthly earnings limit.
• Seasonal employees and foreign employees working in Germany are generally covered regardless of nationality or whether the employer is based in Germany.
• Employers responsible for payroll, time records and compliance from the first affected pay period.
• Some internships and employment arrangements remain subject to statutory exceptions; the label “intern” alone does not decide the result.
• Genuinely self-employed people are not employees covered by the statutory wage floor. Misclassified employment (Scheinselbstständigkeit) is a separate risk explained in the self-employment guide.

Old rule vs new rule

What do you need to do?

1. Employees should check the gross hourly rate on contracts and payslips covering work from January 2027.
2. No employee application is normally required: employers must apply the statutory floor automatically to covered work.
3. Minijob workers should agree working hours in writing and keep an eye on irregular payments and bonuses.
4. Employers should update payroll and working-hour calculations before the first 2027 payroll run.
5. Use the permanent salary and Minijob guides for exceptions, deductions and employment rights.
6. If a business relationship is labelled freelance but operates like employment, review the self-employment classification rather than assuming the minimum-wage rules never apply.

Example

Official information and sources

The status and figures above were checked against the primary authorities below. Media reports are not used as the sole authority for rule changes.

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