If your earnings in a mini-job exceed the Minijob limit, the job can lose its mini-job status unless an exception applies. The limit is 603 euros a month in 2026 and rises to 633 euros on 1 January 2027. What happens next depends on whether the excess was foreseeable, how often it occurs and how you are insured for health care.
Short answer: If your earnings stay above the Minijob limit, the job is generally treated as subject to social insurance contributions. From 1 January 2027 the limit is 633 euros a month (2026: 603 euros), as of November 2026. An unforeseeable excess remains allowed in at most two calendar months per calendar year, up to double the limit (section 8 para. 1b SGB IV, German social security code, in German).
The most important points
- The Minijob limit is 603 euros a month in 2026 and 633 euros a month from 1 January 2027.
- The limit is derived from the statutory minimum wage: minimum wage times 130, divided by 3, rounded up (section 8 para. 1a SGB IV).
- An unforeseeable excess is allowed in at most two calendar months per calendar year, up to double the limit.
- If earnings stay above the limit, the mini-job ends as a marginal employment and becomes subject to social insurance.
- Family insurance and student financial aid (BAföG) have their own thresholds, which must be checked against your earnings.
How high is the Minijob limit in 2026 and 2027?
The earnings limit is tied to the statutory minimum wage. For 2027 the minimum wage is 14.60 euros gross per hour. Calculated, this gives 632.67 euros, rounded up to 633 euros. The formula is set out in section 8 SGB IV, and the figures are published by the German Minijob Center (Minijob-Zentrale). Last updated: November 2026.
| Year | Minimum wage per hour | Minijob limit per month | Annual value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 13.90 euros | 603 euros | 7,236 euros |
| 2027 | 14.60 euros | 633 euros | 7,596 euros |
Assumption: in 2027 you earn 14.60 euros per hour. At 633 euros a month, that corresponds to roughly 43 working hours. If you work 45 hours, you earn 657 euros and are 24 euros above the limit.
What happens after a single excess?
Not every excess ends the mini-job immediately. Under section 8 para. 1b SGB IV, a marginal employment is kept if the excess was not foreseeable, occurs in at most two calendar months per calendar year and does not exceed double the limit. For 2027 that ceiling is 1,266 euros a month.
| Situation | Usual consequence |
|---|---|
| One month, not foreseeable, up to 1,266 euros | The mini-job continues |
| Two months in the calendar year, not foreseeable | The mini-job continues, but a third month is excluded |
| Foreseeable, for example because more hours were agreed | No exception applies, the job is subject to social insurance |
| Permanently above the limit | Social insurance contributions, settled through wages and social security charges |
The effect of an excess therefore depends less on the amount than on the pattern. One unexpected month with extra shifts is different from a contract that provides for more hours from the start. In the second case no exception applies, because the excess was foreseeable.
What does this mean for health and family insurance?
Many students are covered by a parent’s statutory health insurance as family members. In that case the total income counts. Under section 10 SGB V, total income may be up to one seventh of the monthly reference income (Bezugsgröße). In 2026 this amounts to 565 euros. For marginal employment, regular total monthly income up to the marginal employment threshold is permitted, which is 603 euros in 2026 and 633 euros in 2027. If you are permanently above that level, you generally lose family coverage and must insure yourself.
The right route then depends on whether you are insured as a student or as a working student. An overview is in our article on health insurance with a part-time job (in German). Clarify this early, because a gap in cover can be costly.
What changes for student financial aid (BAföG) and tax?
BAföG follows its own calculation. According to the German Student Services Organisation (Deutsches Studierendenwerk), earnings up to the Minijob limit do not reduce the grant. Above that level, income is counted, and bafög.de names a monthly allowance of 389 euros for 2026. The Studierendenwerk FAQ on BAföG (in German, January 2026) describes the rule. Whether the allowances change in 2027 is not yet settled, because the planned BAföG reform is still in the legislative process.
For tax, the employee lump sum of 1,230 euros a year applies (section 9a EStG, German income tax act, in German). Whether and how much wage tax is due depends on the tax class, which is retrieved through the electronic wage tax deduction features (section 39e EStG). An excess changes the tax position mainly when the annual income as a whole rises.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Minijob limit also apply to working students?
Not in the same way. The working student privilege depends on the number of hours: up to 20 hours per week, the job is exempt from health, care and unemployment insurance, regardless of the pay. Exceptions apply, for example, to evening, night and weekend work. A working student therefore needs to watch the hours limit rather than the euro limit.
Do I have to tell my employer if I earn more?
The employer must register and settle the job correctly. Raise planned extra hours early, so that the employer can either keep within the limit or restructure the job properly. Registration and reporting duties are explained in our guide on registering a mini-job (in German).
Do Christmas bonuses or holiday pay count towards the limit?
Whether special payments count depends on the contract and on the payment schedule. The best approach is to clarify this with the employer or with the Minijob Center. A closer look at the rules is in our guide on Christmas and holiday pay within the Minijob limit (in German).
Can I manage the limit through my working hours?
Yes, that is the simplest method. Calculate with the pay you actually receive, not with the pay you hope for. Build in a buffer, because shift plans change, and check at the end of each month whether you are still within the limit.
What if I work more than planned once in December?
One month above the limit does not automatically end the mini-job. What matters is whether the excess was foreseeable and how often it occurs within the calendar year. If you already know that one month will bring many more hours, it is no longer an exception but a foreseeable case.
What to do now
- Record your working hours each month and compare the gross pay with the limit for that year.
- Agree with your employer how many hours per month are realistic and whether there is a ceiling.
- If you exceed the limit, check whether the excess was unforeseeable and whether it is the first or second month of the calendar year.
- Inform your health insurer if you are covered as a family member and your income exceeds the threshold.
- Clarify the effects on student financial aid and tax before you accept a larger extra income.
Related guides
- Working student, mini-job or midi-job: the comparison in figures (in German)
- Minijob limit 2027 for students: 633 euros a month
- Minijob or student job: limits in figures compared
- Several mini-jobs and a working student position: how it is offset
- Working student: 20-hour rule, pension insurance and semester breaks (in German)
Sources: Section 8 SGB IV, marginal employment (in German, current law, accessed November 2026), German Minijob Center: Minijob limit 2027 (in German, accessed November 2026), Section 10 SGB V, family insurance (in German, current law), Section 9a EStG, employee lump sum (in German, current law).
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
