A Minijob sounds simple. The rules come with a few surprises.

Two kinds of Minijob

There are two legally different versions:

Earnings-based Minijob (Minijob mit Verdienstgrenze). Classification centers on the regular expected earnings, which may fluctuate within defined rules. The 2026 monthly threshold is €603. Certain unforeseeable, temporary overshoots are treated differently. So one month above €603 doesn't automatically change the job's classification. ¹

Short-term Minijob (kurzfristige Beschäftigung). This one is defined by time limits and has its own rules. The €603 ceiling doesn't simply apply to every short-term job. ⁶

This guide focuses on the earnings-based version.

How many hours is €603?

It depends on your hourly rate. Let's do the maths:

These are simple calculations, not guaranteed schedules. Holiday pay, bonuses and how your regular earnings are assessed also matter. Working a bit less one month doesn't give you unlimited extra hours later. ¹²

Surprise number one: you may not get the full €603

Not necessarily all of it. In an ordinary commercial Minijob, pension insurance is generally compulsory. The employer usually pays a 15% flat pension contribution, and an insured employee pays 3.6% themselves, unless a valid exemption applies. Employment in a private household has different percentages. ³

Example: a hypothetical employee earns €603 in a commercial Minijob and pays the normal 3.6% employee pension contribution.

• Gross earnings: €603.00
• Employee pension contribution: €603 × 3.6% = €21.71 (rounded)
• Remaining after that contribution: €581.29, before any other employee-borne adjustments.

If the employee is legitimately exempt from paying their share, that deduction doesn't happen, and some pension rights may differ too. So "€603, tax-free and deduction-free" isn't true for everyone.

What about taxes?

Employers may use a permitted flat-rate tax arrangement for a qualifying Minijob or calculate wage tax in another allowed way. Who economically bears the flat tax can depend on the employment arrangements. A 2% flat-rate option is common, but there's no single net-pay figure that fits every Minijob. ⁷

Surprise number two: no health insurance of its own

A Minijob doesn't insure you by itself. The employer's possible flat-rate payment toward statutory health insurance is not an individual insurance policy for the Minijob worker. You normally need coverage through a separate channel: another insured job, family coverage if eligible, statutory student insurance, voluntary statutory insurance or private insurance where applicable. ⁴

This matters a lot if you're an international student or new in Germany. A Minijob contract on its own doesn't prove you meet residence or health-insurance requirements.

Yes, you get holidays and sick pay

A Minijob is a real job, and the normal labour rights apply.

Paid holiday entitlement

Minijob workers are entitled to paid holiday. The statutory baseline corresponds to four weeks per year; the number of paid days depends on regular weekly working days, not merely hours. For example, someone regularly working two days per week would generally have a statutory minimum of eight days of annual paid holiday for a full year of employment under the four-week principle. ⁸

Continued pay if sick

Eligible Minijob workers generally have the right to continued wage payment for up to six weeks during an illness preventing work. The usual entitlement begins after four weeks of employment. These payments concern the scheduled working days and the applicable statutory conditions. ⁹

Minimum wage

The 2026 general minimum wage is €13.90 per hour. Certain groups have legal exceptions, so check whether one applies to you. ²

Surprise number three: two jobs get looked at together

You can have a Minijob next to a main job. The tax and insurance rules then look at both together. In common scenarios, one eligible earnings-based Minijob alongside a main insured job can retain special Minijob treatment, whereas multiple additional Minijobs may have to be aggregated. Each extra contract doesn't get its own €603. Check your setup with your employer or the Minijob-Zentrale.

International students: one extra check

A Minijob classification addresses German employment and contribution rules, not automatically immigration permission to work. Check the working-time conditions of your residence permit separately, including any rules for students and working days. The €603 earnings limit is not the same as a work-hours limit on your permit.

And make sure the job is properly registered, you know which insurer covers you and your pay and holidays are handled correctly.

Minijob questions, answered

We explain how the German rules work in general. This isn't personal tax, legal or financial advice, and your bank, employer or tax office may treat your own case differently.

Where to go from here

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