What was Germany’s nationwide statutory minimum wage when it was introduced in 2015?

Germany’s nationwide statutory minimum wage was €8.50 per hour when it was introduced in 2015.

The minimum wage took effect on 1 January 2015 under Germany’s Minimum Wage Act, known as the Mindestlohngesetz. Its introduction marked a major change in a country where wage-setting had traditionally relied heavily on collective bargaining between unions and employers’ associations.

The initial €8.50 figure was a gross hourly amount, before taxes and social-insurance deductions. The law applied broadly but included transitional arrangements and certain exclusions, including some young people, trainees, and long-term unemployed workers during an initial period.

Germany’s minimum wage is not permanently fixed at its original level. A standing Minimum Wage Commission reviews developments such as collective-agreement wages, employment, and economic conditions, then recommends adjustments. Therefore, €8.50 is specifically the launch figure, not Germany’s current rate.