In accordance with the plans, the minimum hourly wage in Germany is increasing, the cabinet decided. From the beginning of next year it will be 13.90 euros, and a year later it will reach 14.60. The increase is 13.9 percent and is the largest undertaken in ten years.
The lower limit for the minimum wage in Germany was introduced in 2015, ARD recalls. At that time, the level was 8.50 euros per hour, and in 2022 it was decided to raise it to 12 euros. The current minimum hourly wage is 12.85 euros.
The increase will cost employers billions
According to the Federal Statistical Office, up to 6.6 million people - especially women and those employed in eastern Germany - will benefit from the increase in the minimum wage. Anyone working full-time on the minimum wage will receive 190 euros more per month from January 2026.
The decision to increase it will entail additional costs for employers of around 2.2 billion euros next year and 3.4 billion in 2027.
The increase in the minimum wage is a success
Labor Minister Berbel Bass praised the increase as "an important step towards greater fairness and recognition for those who support the country every day". The increase in the minimum wage is "a win for millions of hard-working people" - they will now receive significantly more for their labor, Bass stressed.