Minimum wage in Germany

A statutory national minimum wage

Germany has had a statutory minimum wage, stated per hour, since 2015. An independent commission proposes adjustments and the Government makes them binding.

Headline figure (second half of 2026)

2,343 EUR per month

Eurostat's gross, full-time monthly figure; 13th and 14th-month payments are spread over twelve months.

The law itself states the minimum as an hourly rate.

Roughly US$2,626 a month for a full-time worker, at exchange rates of 2026-10-09. This is a rough comparison only and does not show buying power.

Checked October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Check the date. Minimum wages change, in many countries every year. The figure above is the one in force at the date shown. Confirm the current amount with the official source below before you rely on it. This is general information, not legal or employment advice.

Who sets it

A federal law sets the minimum wage. A Minimum Wage Commission of employer and union representatives, with scientific advisers, proposes changes, and the Federal Government makes them binding by regulation.

How it changes

The Commission reviews the rate at regular intervals, not every year, and recommends a new rate. The law states the minimum per hour.

Who is covered, and who is treated differently

The law excludes some groups, for example certain interns and trainees and people under 18 without a completed vocational training.
Some sectors with their own collective agreements have higher binding minimums.

What to watch for

The monthly figure shown is Eurostat's full-time equivalent of the legal hourly rate; actual monthly pay depends on hours worked.

Understand the legal system first

Germany belongs to the Civil law family. How pay is regulated depends on how the legal system makes and applies labour law.

Read the Germany legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Compare Germany with another country →

Official sources

TheLawToKnow Tools’s Minimum Wage by Country guide is an educational overview. It is not legal or employment advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.