Germany’s 6.8 Million Minijobbers Get One-Time Pension Opt-In as Flat Tax Jumps to 5%
Published on 07/05/2026 at 16:55 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
A one-off opportunity to switch into compulsory pension insurance took effect on 1 July 2026 for Germany’s roughly 6.8 million Minijob holders. Until now only about 20.9 percent of commercially employed low-earners have been paying into the statutory pension system, a figure the government hopes will rise after allowing employees to voluntarily end their long-standing exemption.
The move is part of a broader recalibration of the Mini?job framework, which covers positions paying up to €603 a month. At the same time the flat tax employers pay on these wages has been raised from 2 percent to 5 percent. For someone earning the current threshold, the monthly employer contribution climbs by about €18. It remains unclear whether businesses will pass that extra cost on to workers.
Chancellor Merz has ruled out a full abolition of the Minijob regime, despite calls from the Alterssicherungskommission (old-age security commission) to scrap the special status almost entirely. The commission wants school pupils to stay exempt. Labour Minister Bas has promised a decision by autumn 2026.
Job vacancies in the low-earning sector remain plentiful. Retail leads with more than one million roles, followed by hospitality and business services. The McPaper AG chain, for example, is currently advertising 147 positions offering permanent contracts and career paths up to store manager.
Logistics has strong demand too. Deutsche Post and DHL are recruiting parcel deliverers and sorters in Berlin and Wiesbaden on a Minijob basis, with hourly wages above €16 plus night supplements. In Lower Saxony more than 600 Minijobs were registered at the start of July, including roles at concrete works Diephaus and at retailer Bünting SCM.
Higher pay and greater flexibility have also reshaped the market. Since January 2026 the national minimum wage has stood at €13.90, capping the Minijob threshold at €603. From 1 January 2027 the minimum wage rises to €14.60, pushing the ceiling to €633.
A growing number of employers now offer home?office Minijobs, spanning telephone market research, customer support, translation and business development. Companies such as CANCOM, GE Vernova and Leica Microsystems are recruiting for technical and administrative roles, with full?time reference salaries ranging from €41,000 to over €80,000.
The coalition’s 34?point programme also tightens other workplace rules. Telephone sick notes are to be scrapped; a doctor’s certificate will be required from the first day of illness. High earners – those with an annual income above 1.75 times the contribution assessment ceiling – will receive lighter dismissal protection. Fixed?term contracts without a material reason can now run for up to 48 months with as many as six extensions, permitted on a temporary basis until the end of 2030. The written?form requirement for fixed?term agreements will be dropped from 1 January 2027.
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