Employees can expect an increase in the statutory minimum wage. It will rise in two stages: on January 1, 2026, from €12.82 to €13.90 gross per hour, and on January 1, 2027, to €14.60. This has been decided by the Minimum Wage Commission and is binding.
It started in 2015 at €8.50
In the first step, the increase from January 2026 will mean just under €190 more gross per month. From January 2027, the increased minimum wage will bring around €300 more. The minimum wage was introduced ten years ago. In 2015, it was €8.50 gross per hour.
The commission is independent
The minimum wage is reviewed every two years. Bärbel Bas, the Federal Minister of Labor, welcomed the decision and intends to implement it. The voluntary Minimum Wage Commission is independent. The commission consists of a chairperson, three representatives each from the trade unions and employers, and two non-voting scientific members. They examine the effects of the minimum wage on the protection of employees, on competitive conditions, and on employment. The amount was hotly debated in politics and society.
Obligation with exceptions
Employers are generally obliged to pay the statutory minimum wage. However, it does not apply to all employees—for example, it does not apply to trainees, volunteers, young people under the age of 18 without completed vocational training, and often to the long-term unemployed in their first six months of employment.
Link to the minimum wage calculator: BMAS | Minimum wage calculator
On the Commission’s current decision: Minimum Wage Commission | Decisions
tun25062701