In short: A Minijob is a German form of marginal employment capped at €603 a month in 2026 (€7,236 a year). The limit is linked to the minimum wage and rises with it. Your earnings stay tax-free and largely exempt from social contributions; only pension insurance applies, and you can opt out. The old names "€520 job" and "€450 job" no longer reflect the current limit.
Minijob 2026: The German €603 Earnings Limit Explained
The Minijob is a German type of low-earning job with almost no deductions – useful if you live in Germany and work on the side. Since 2022 the limit grows automatically with the minimum wage. Here is what applies in 2026.
2026 limit: €603 a month. That is €7,236 a year. This figure is official (Minijob-Zentrale, German pension insurance) and replaces the earlier names "€520 job" and "€450 job".
Tied to the minimum wage. Since October 2022 the limit follows the formula minimum wage × 130 ÷ 3. Because Germany's minimum wage rises to €13.90 per hour on 1 January 2026, the limit becomes €603 – and is expected to reach €633 in 2027.
Tax-free and largely contribution-free for you. On your Minijob pay you normally owe no income tax and no health, care or unemployment insurance contributions. The employer pays flat-rate charges instead.
Pension insurance with a choice. A Minijob is subject to pension insurance, but your own share is small. You may apply to be exempted – then you keep a little more net pay but build no full pension entitlements.
Yearly average counts, several jobs add up. Across the year you must stay under the limit on average; occasional, unforeseen overshoots are allowed within narrow bounds. If you hold several Minijobs, the earnings are added together.
Above it, the Midijob begins. Earn regularly more than €603 and you enter the transition zone (Midijob) up to €2,000, with reduced social contributions that rise gradually with your pay.
Enter your Minijob pay as its own income in Kontoo – so you see straight away how much it really adds to your household.
In depth
Why the limit can move every year
Until October 2022 the Minijob limit was a fixed amount adjusted by politics – most recently €450, then €520. Since then it has been dynamic: it is calculated from the statutory minimum wage using the formula minimum wage times 130 divided by three. The idea is that a Minijob should represent roughly ten weekly hours at minimum wage, so that a pay rise does not immediately break the limit. Because Germany's minimum wage rises to €13.90 per hour on 1 January 2026, the limit for 2026 is exactly €603 a month, or €7,236 a year. On 1 January 2027 it is expected to rise further to €633. So it helps to remember the principle rather than the number: when the minimum wage goes up, your possible Minijob earnings go up too.
Contributions, pension and the small print
For you as the employee, the Minijob is attractive because it stays largely free of deductions: no income tax, and no contributions to health, care or unemployment insurance. Instead the employer pays flat-rate charges. One important detail is pension insurance: a Minijob is in principle subject to it, but your own contribution share is small. You may apply to be exempted, which leaves a little more net pay in your pocket, but then you build no full pension entitlements and no periods that count, for example, towards a reduced-earning-capacity pension. If you stay insured, you accumulate small but genuine entitlements. There is no blanket recommendation; it depends on your age, other coverage and goals.
Exceeding the limit, several jobs and the step up to the Midijob
The yearly average is what matters: on average across the twelve months you must not exceed the limit. An occasional, unforeseeable overshoot – covering for a sick colleague, say – is permitted within narrow bounds, but a permanently higher wage is not. This is crucial with more than one job: if you hold several Minijobs, the Minijob-Zentrale adds all earnings together, and the total must stay under the limit, or you lose Minijob status. Anyone regularly earning more than €603 lands in the so-called transition zone, the Midijob, which runs up to €2,000. There you pay reduced social contributions that grow slowly as your pay rises, and you are fully covered by social insurance. That is not a drawback, simply the next tier up.
Education, not advice. How we work and check figures: Editorial. Figures as of 2026, last reviewed 07/04/2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much can I earn in a Minijob in 2026?
In 2026 the Minijob limit is €603 a month, or €7,236 a year. The yearly average is what counts; a one-off, unforeseen overshoot is allowed within narrow bounds.
Why is it no longer called a €520 job?
In 2022 the fixed limit was replaced by a dynamic one tied to the minimum wage. "€450 job" and "€520 job" are now just historical names for earlier amounts; the current limit is €603.
Do I have to pay tax on my Minijob?
Usually not. Your Minijob pay normally carries no income tax for you, because the employer covers the tax at a flat rate. In most cases you also do not need to report the earnings in your tax return.
Do I pay into the pension with a Minijob?
Yes, a Minijob is subject to pension insurance, but your own share is small. You can apply to be exempted – then you keep a little more net pay but build no full pension entitlements.
Can I hold several Minijobs at once?
Yes, but the earnings are added together. If the total of all your Minijobs exceeds €603 a month, you lose Minijob status and move into regular social insurance.
What happens if I earn more than €603?
If you earn more on a lasting basis, the transition zone (Midijob) begins, running up to €2,000. There you pay reduced social contributions that rise with your pay, and you are fully covered by health, care, unemployment and pension insurance.
All lessons · Glossary · Editorial · Kontoo does the math and explains – this is general education, not tax, legal or financial advice.
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