Two kinds of small job are common in Germany: the minijob, with a monthly pay limit, and the working-student job (Werkstudent), with a limit on hours during term. Both limits, and the minimum wage, change on 1 January.
The figures
| Year | Minimum wage · minijob limit |
|---|---|
| 2026 | €13.90 an hour · €603 a month €7,236 a year |
| 2027 | €14.60 an hour · €633 a month €7,596 a year |
The minijob limit follows the minimum wage: it is the minimum wage × 130 ÷ 3, which is about 43 hours a month at the minimum wage.[1] The minimum wage applies however few hours you work, minijobs included; a few groups are exempt, such as some internships and under-18s without vocational training.[4]
- Working students work no more than 20 hours a week during term. In semester breaks they may work more.[2]
- Above 20 hours during term is allowed only for work in the evenings, at night or at weekends, and for at most 26 weeks in a year.[2][3]
Check a job
What this check does not do
- It does not work out tax or insurance. How a working student is insured and taxed is in working while you study.
- It does not cover every exception. A month over the minijob limit, internships and holiday jobs have rules of their own — the Minijob-Zentrale explains them.
- It is not legal advice.
Working-student and minijob adverts in English are listed on working-student jobs and minijobs. Every tool is on one page.
Sources
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Minijob-Zentrale: Mindestlohn steigt 2026 und 2027 (German). Checked 29 September 2026.
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Deutsche Rentenversicherung: Werkstudentenprivileg (German). Checked 29 September 2026.
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Deutsches Studierendenwerk: Werkstudierende (German). Checked 29 September 2026.
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Federal Ministry of Labour (BMAS): Informationen zum Mindestlohn (German). Checked 29 September 2026.