Holding several mini-jobs (Minijobs) at the same time, or combining one with a working student position, raises a simple question: do the jobs still count as marginal employment together? The answer depends on how the pay from all jobs is added up and on how many hours you work each week. This guide explains the rules, works through an example and lists the limits for 2026 and 2027.
Short answer: Several marginal jobs are added together under section 8(2) of Book IV of the German Social Code (SGB IV). If the combined pay exceeds the marginal employment threshold, the jobs are no longer marginal employment. The threshold is EUR 603 a month for 2026 and EUR 633 for 2027. For the student privilege (Werkstudentenprivileg), the weekly hours count instead, and several jobs are added together there too. Last updated: November 2026.
The most important points in brief
- Several mini-jobs are added together. What counts is the sum of the regular monthly pay.
- The marginal employment threshold is EUR 603 a month in 2026 and EUR 633 a month in 2027.
- If the threshold is regularly exceeded, the marginal employment ends.
- An unforeseeable exceedance in at most two calendar months per calendar year is harmless up to double the threshold.
- For the student privilege, the limit of 20 hours per week counts, not the pay.
How are several mini-jobs added together?
A marginal job requires that the pay regularly does not exceed the threshold (section 8(1) no. 1 SGB IV). If you hold several marginal jobs, they are added together under section 8(2) SGB IV. If the conditions no longer apply, the job is no longer marginal employment. The test therefore looks at the total per month, not at one job on its own.
The threshold itself is linked to the statutory minimum wage. Under the formula in section 8(1a) SGB IV, the amount is the minimum wage times 130, divided by 3, rounded up. For 2027 this gives EUR 14.60 times 130 divided by 3, which is EUR 632.67, rounded up to EUR 633.
The thresholds at a glance:
| Year | Limit per month | Limit per year | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | EUR 603 | EUR 7,236 | Section 8(1a) SGB IV, formula with minimum wage |
| 2027 | EUR 633 | EUR 7,596 | Section 8(1a) SGB IV, minimum wage EUR 14.60 |
Worked example: two mini-jobs in a month
- Assumption: you have one mini-job paying EUR 400 a month and a second paying EUR 250 a month.
- Total: EUR 400 plus EUR 250 is EUR 650.
- Comparison for 2026: EUR 650 is above EUR 603.
- Comparison for 2027: EUR 650 is above EUR 633.
- Result: if the pay regularly reaches this level, the job is no longer marginal employment, because the total exceeds the threshold.
What applies when you combine a student job and a mini-job?
The working student position follows a different logic. Students who work no more than 20 hours a week during the semester are exempt from compulsory health, long-term care and unemployment insurance. In statutory pension insurance there is no such privilege. The amount of pay does not matter for this rule, only the hours do.
For the 20-hour limit, several jobs are added together. Someone who works ten hours in a mini-job and twelve hours as a working student is at 22 hours, above the limit. Evening, night and weekend work may go beyond 20 hours as long as the studies remain the main focus. The lecture-free period follows its own rules. Details are set out in the joint circular on the social insurance treatment of students (Gemeinsames Rundschreiben, in German). An overview of the 20-hour rule is available in the comparison of mini-jobs and student jobs.
What happens if the threshold is exceeded?
A regular exceedance means that the job is no longer marginal and contributions become due. If you only go over the threshold in an unforeseeable way, section 8(1b) SGB IV protects you, as long as the exceedance lasts no more than two calendar months per calendar year and does not go beyond double the threshold.
It helps to compare pay and hours early, rather than calculating afterwards. For questions about classification, your employer and the Minijob-Zentrale (the German central office for mini-jobs, in German) can help. For questions about insurance, your health insurance fund is the right contact.
Which documents help with the check?
- Employment contracts with the agreed monthly pay and weekly hours
- Payslips from recent months
- Records of hours, including those from the lecture-free period
- Your semester plan, so that lecture and exam periods are clear
What changes in 2027?
From 1 January 2027 the threshold is EUR 633. It rises because the statutory minimum wage is EUR 14.60 gross per hour from 2027. For the check, the threshold of the calendar year in which the pay falls applies. In December 2026 the 2026 threshold applies, and in January 2027 the 2027 threshold applies.
Frequently asked questions
Can I hold two mini-jobs with different employers?
Yes, several mini-jobs are generally possible. What matters is the total of the pay. If you apply for an exemption from compulsory pension insurance, the rule is that with several marginal jobs the application can only be made uniformly and is binding.
Do the hours count when I have two mini-jobs?
For marginal employment, the monthly pay is decisive, not the number of hours. Hours only matter for the student privilege. It is still sensible to record all hours, so that you have both figures in view.
Do I have to tell my employer about the second job?
Please give complete details of other employment so that the check is accurate. A missing or incorrect statement can cause problems later, for example when contributions are reassessed.
Does the threshold also apply in the semester break?
The mini-job threshold applies every month. The student privilege follows its own rules in the lecture-free period. Looking at your hours for the semester break before you start a second job is therefore worthwhile.
What to do next
- List all jobs with their monthly pay and weekly hours.
- Add up the monthly pay and compare the total with the threshold for the current year.
- For the working student position, check the hours of all jobs, including during the semester break.
- Clarify open questions with your employer or the Minijob-Zentrale before you sign another contract.
Related articles
- Minijob or Student Job: Limits in Figures Compared
- Minijob Limit 2027 for Students: EUR 633 a Month
- Student job: 20-hour rule, pension insurance and semester breaks (in German)
- Minijob 2027: how many hours are allowed at EUR 14.60
- Holiday entitlement in a mini-job and student job
Sources: Section 8 SGB IV, marginal employment (gesetze-im-internet.de, in German, accessed November 2026); Minijob threshold 2027, Minijob-Zentrale (in German, accessed November 2026); Joint circular on the social insurance treatment of students, 23 Nov 2016 (PDF by Techniker Krankenkasse, in German).
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
