Germany Raises Minimum Wage Per Hour, Lists 5 Excluded Worker Categories

• Germany's statutory minimum wage climbed to €13.90 gross per hour on January 1, 2026, with a further rise already confirmed for 2027
• The German government confirmed the new wage floor covers all employees working in Germany, including foreign nationals, mini-jobbers and seasonal workers
• Five categories of workers remain excluded from the minimum wage entitlement under German labour law

Germany raised its statutory minimum wage to €13.90 gross per hour on January 1, 2026, according to information published by the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

The new rate replaces the previous figure and is set to increase again to €14.60 gross per hour from January 1, 2027.

Germany first introduced a general statutory minimum wage on January 1, 2015, and has updated the figure several times since then to reflect economic conditions.

Who Qualifies for Germany's Minimum Wage

The wage floor applies to anyone employed within Germany, regardless of nationality or the volume of work they perform. Part-time workers in marginal employment, commonly known as mini-jobbers, seasonal workers, and foreign employees — whether working for a German firm or an overseas company — all fall within its scope.

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The entitlement covers every hour worked within the billing period, which is typically the calendar month, and extends to overtime hours as well.

Employers are required to pay the minimum wage by the agreed due date and no later than the last banking day of the month following the one in which the work took place.

Where that deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday, payment must be made on the preceding working day.

5 Worker Categories Excluded From the Minimum Wage

Despite the broad coverage, German labour law excludes five specific groups from the minimum wage entitlement:

1. Employees under 18 years of age who have not yet completed vocational training.

2. Workers who were long-term unemployed immediately before starting their current job, exempt for the first six months of employment only.

3. Interns on mandatory placements required by their school, vocational training programme, or university course.

4. Interns on voluntary placements that accompany ongoing vocational training or university studies.

5. Interns on orientation internships lasting no more than three months.

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The exemptions are narrow and precisely defined. The vast majority of workers in Germany, including foreign nationals residing and working in the country, remain fully entitled to the statutory minimum rate.

Source: YEN.com.gh