Mini-job limits 2026 (€603 / 70 days)

What is a mini-job?

A mini-job (marginal employment) is a form of employment in Germany that benefits from preferential social-security treatment. There are two variants.

Mini-job with an earnings limit

Maximum regular monthly earnings: €603 (2026, dynamically linked to the statutory minimum wage)
At a minimum wage of €13.90 this corresponds to roughly 43.4 hours per month
Regular annual limit: €7,236 (12 × €603); unforeseeable exceedances require a separate assessment

Short-term employment

Generally no more than 3 months or 70 working days; both time limits are equivalent alternatives
Qualifying agricultural employing establishments use 15 weeks or 90 working days from 2026
No general earnings cap; regular monthly earnings above €603 trigger an additional professional-status assessment
The job must be time-limited in advance and merely occasional
Relevant prior short-term jobs are aggregated

Free checking tools

The 2026 mini-job hours calculator estimates monthly hours at the €603 threshold. The 2026 seasonal planner checks multiple workers and periods against the German short-term employment limits. Both calculators provide orientation; the final social-insurance assessment remains the employer's responsibility.

Note

Mini-job thresholds change regularly along with the statutory minimum wage. When in doubt, consult a tax advisor or the Minijob-Zentrale — Shiftdesk does not replace legal or tax advice.

Legal disclaimer — no warranty

Shiftdesk helps you organize working hours, shifts and staff data. The notices shown here on the German Working Hours Act (ArbZG), the Federal Leave Act (BUrlG), the minimum wage, Minijob thresholds, tax and social-security topics, and country-specific rules in Germany, Austria and Switzerland are intended solely as informational guidance. They do not constitute legal advice, tax advice or social-security advice within the meaning of § 2 of the Legal Services Act (§ 2 RDG).

Collective agreements — Tarifverträge (Germany), Kollektivverträge (Austria) and Gesamtarbeitsverträge (GAV, Switzerland) — works agreements, industry-specific exemptions (for example under § 5 (2) ArbZG) and cantonal or country-specific rules may deviate from the standard values shown here and often take precedence, especially for minimum wages and premiums. Statutory thresholds (e.g. the minimum wage or the Minijob earnings limit) change regularly; we accept no warranty as to their accuracy or completeness.

For binding information, please consult a specialist lawyer, a tax advisor, a payroll service provider or the Minijob-Zentrale. Liability for decisions made on the basis of these notices is excluded to the extent permitted by law.

Break rules in DACH (DE/AT/CH)

11-hour rest period between shifts

German Working Hours Act (ArbZG) basics

The German Working Hours Act (ArbZG) sets the framework for working hours, breaks, and rest periods. It applies to almost all dependently employed people in Germany. Shiftdesk automatically checks schedules against the most important provisions as a plausibility aid.

Break rules in DACH (DE/AT/CH)

Break rules differ between Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Shiftdesk takes the country of each Location into account and validates breaks automatically as a plausibility aid.

Using the compliance checker in the dashboard

The compliance checker continuously reviews your schedules against applicable labor law. You reach it via the main navigation:

11-hour rest period between shifts

Under **§5 of the German Working Hours Act**, there must be an uninterrupted **rest period of at least 11 hours** between the end of one work shift and the start of the next. This rule protects employees from overwork and safeguards recovery.

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