Overview

• The minimum wage will rise to €13.90 per hour in January 2026 and to €14.60 per hour in January 2027.
• Monthly minijob earning limits will increase to €603 in 2026 and €633 in 2027, affecting an estimated 6.6 million employment relationships.
• Positions that exceed the new minijob cap will become subject to social-security contributions of about 30 percent, raising employers’ actual hourly costs to roughly €18 and spurring interest in midjobs.
• Women will benefit disproportionately, with about 20 percent of female-held jobs seeing wage increases compared to around 14 percent for men.
• Employers and workers are adapting to structural shifts as midjob upper earnings limits rise to €2,000 gross per month from 2026, offering reduced social-contribution rates relative to full insurance.