Statutory and sector minimum wages
The statutory minimum wage applies across Germany in every sector. Since 1 January 2026 it is €13.90 gross per hour, with an increase to €14.60 planned for 1 January 2027.
A sector minimum comes from a collective agreement made binding for the whole sector under the Posted Workers Act (AEntG). Where one exists, it is higher and binds every company doing that work in Germany, foreign companies and non-members of trade bodies included.
Main construction: no sector minimum since 2022
Bricklayers, concrete workers, carpenters and the other main construction trades had their own minimum wage until the end of 2021. The last regulation (12. BauArbbV, BAnz AT 30.04.2021 V2) expired on 31 December 2021 and has no successor (checked 19 Oct 2026). The floor there is the statutory €13.90 an hour.
Construction trades with a sector minimum
| Trade | Minimum rate | In force from |
|---|---|---|
| Roofing — unskilled | €14.96/h | 1 Jan 2026 |
| Roofing — qualified | €16.60/h | 1 Jan 2026 |
| Scaffolding | €14.35/h | 1 Oct 2026 |
| Electrical trades | €14.93/h | 1 Jan 2026 |
| Painting and varnishing — qualified | €16.13/h | 1 Jul 2026 |
Painting no longer has a separate floor for unskilled staff — the statutory €13.90 applies to them. German customs publishes the full, continuously updated list at zoll.de.
Minimum wage for construction labourers in 2026
There is no separate rate for labourers (Bauhelfer). What counts is the trade of the company they work for:
| Labourer in … | At least | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| main construction trade (bricklaying, concrete, groundworks) | €13.90/h | statutory minimum wage |
| roofing | €14.96/h | sector minimum, unskilled |
| scaffolding | €14.35/h | sector minimum |
| electrical trade | €14.93/h | sector minimum |
| painting and varnishing | €13.90/h | statutory minimum wage (no floor for unskilled workers) |
Bricklayers, carpenters, road builders: the minimum in Germany
Bricklayers (Maurer), concrete workers (Betonbauer), carpenters (Zimmerer) and road builders (Straßenbauer) work in main construction, which has had no sector minimum since 2022. The statutory minimum wage applies, to skilled workers and labourers alike:
| Trade | 2026 | from 1 Jan 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Bricklayer (Maurer) | €13.90/h | €14.60/h |
| Concrete worker (Betonbauer) | €13.90/h | €14.60/h |
| Carpenter (Zimmerer) | €13.90/h | €14.60/h |
| Road builder (Straßenbauer) | €13.90/h | €14.60/h |
| Labourer in main construction | €13.90/h | €14.60/h |
These are legal floors. Companies bound by the collective agreement pay its rates, and experienced tradespeople usually earn more on the market. Roofers, electricians, painters and scaffolders have the sector rates from the table above.
Minimum wage in Germany 2027: €14.60 an hour
On 1 January 2027 the statutory minimum wage rises from €13.90 to €14.60 gross per hour, an increase of 70 cents or about 5% (§ 1 no. 2 MiLoV5). It binds employers based in Germany or abroad who employ people in Germany (§ 20 MiLoG), including Polish firms that post workers.
| Hours per month | 2026 (€13.90/h) | 2027 (€14.60/h) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 160 | €2,224.00 | €2,336.00 | +€112.00 |
| 173 (40-hour week) | €2,404.70 | €2,525.80 | +€121.10 |
| 200 | €2,780.00 | €2,920.00 | +€140.00 |
- Raise hourly rates below €14.60 in contracts and quotes from 1 January 2027.
- Check the costing of jobs that run over the turn of the year.
- Roofing, electrical, painting and scaffolding: check the sector order that applies in 2027.
- From January, payslips and timesheets use the new rate.
What counts towards the minimum
- Only pay for work actually performed counts.
- Premiums for overtime, night, Sunday and public holiday work, and hardship allowances, do not count.
- Allowances and travel reimbursements are not wages.
- Deductions for accommodation and transport must not push pay below the floor — inflated lodging charges are a classic inspection finding.
- Wages are due at the latest on the last banking day of the following month.
Working-time records
Construction carries a strict duty to record the start, end and length of each worker's day, entered no later than seven days after the work. Records must be kept for two years and produced in German on request.