Germany: Major Social and Tax Changes in 2026

German labor law is experiencing a small revolution to adapt to new lifestyles:

Working Time Flexibility: The government plans to shift from a daily working time limit (currently 8 hours, maximum 10 hours) to a weekly limit. This would allow employees to work longer hours on certain days in order to free up time on others, without breaking the law.

Pay Transparency Act (June 2026): In implementation of a European directive, companies will be required to be more transparent. Employees will have the right to know the remuneration criteria for equivalent positions. Job postings will also have to include a salary range.

Digital Working Time Recording: Electronic time tracking will become mandatory and stricter to ensure payment for every minute worked (including overtime) in accordance with applicable regulations.

To address the shortage of skilled workers, Germany plans to facilitate the arrival of qualified foreign workers through a centralized digital platform, which will simplify administrative procedures, speed up the issuance of work permits, and accelerate the recognition of foreign professional qualifications.

Minimum Wage: As of January 1, 2026, the hourly rate will rise to €13.90 gross, compared to €12.82 in 2025. A second increase is already scheduled for 2027 to €14.60.

Mini-jobs: To maintain consistency with the minimum wage, the monthly earnings ceiling will be raised to €603. This amount corresponds to approximately 10 hours of work per week.

Apprenticeships: The minimum remuneration for the first year of training is set at €724 per month.

The Franco-German agreement, fully operational for the 2025–2026 academic year, now facilitates mobility for young people aged 15 to 30. It is now possible to combine theoretical training in France (CFA – Apprenticeship Training Center) with practical training in a German company, or vice versa. This pathway is supported by specific financial aid (Franco-German Youth Office – OFAJ) and free language courses via the PARKUR platform.

A new legal framework is coming into force to encourage combining employment and retirement.

Contractual Flexibility

Retirees can now return to work for their former employer through simplified fixed-term contracts (without the obligation to provide justification). The duration may extend up to 8 years through successive renewals.

To make this scheme attractive, retirees benefit from a tax exemption of up to €2,000 per month on their employment income (this does not apply under cross-border worker status). This amount is excluded from the calculation of the progressive tax rate in Germany.

This may therefore apply to a French resident provided they do not qualify for cross-border worker status. Otherwise, work authorization still exists but without the associated tax advantage.

Salary increases automatically lead to higher social contribution calculation ceilings.

Point of attention: The income threshold for access to private health insurance (PKV) is set at €73,800 per year. For cross-border workers, this choice is often irreversible after age 55 and affects family coverage (no free co-insurance in private insurance).

Furthermore, only affiliation with a public health insurance fund allows the export of rights to France, making it possible to receive treatment and reimbursement in France as if contributions were paid there.

The social benefits system is evolving to better support families while introducing new income limits.

Kindergeld: The allowance increases to €259 per month per child. It is gradually being integrated into the Kindergrundsicherung (Basic Child Guarantee).

Elterngeld: Access to parental allowance is now restricted to couples whose annual taxable income is below €175,000.

Tax Allowance: The amount of income exempt from tax (Grundfreibetrag) rises to €12,348 for a single person.