On this page
The nursing minimum wage in Germany for 2026 is €21.03 gross per hour for registered nurses (Pflegefachkräfte) in elderly care, up from €20.50, since 1 July 2026. Care assistants now earn at least €16.52, qualified assistants €17.80, and a further rise is set for 1 July 2027.
Key points
- From 1 July 2026: €16.52 an hour for care assistants, €17.80 for qualified care assistants, and €21.03 for registered nurses.
- From 1 July 2027: €16.95, €18.26, and €21.58 respectively.
- Care staff in elderly care also get nine extra paid leave days a year on top of the 20 statutory days (five-day week).
What is the nursing minimum wage in Germany in 2026?
The nursing minimum wage (Pflegemindestlohn) is a legal pay floor for staff in elderly care. The new rates took effect on 1 July 2026, when the government put the Care Commission’s recommendations into force by regulation, the Federal Government reported.
The rates apply the same way across all of Germany and are graded by qualification. About 1.3 million people work in facilities covered by the nursing minimum wage.
| Role | From 1 July 2025 | From 1 July 2026 | From 1 July 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Care assistant (Pflegehilfskraft) | €16.10 | €16.52 | €16.95 |
| Qualified care assistant (at least one year of training) | €17.35 | €17.80 | €18.26 |
| Registered nurse (Pflegefachkraft) | €20.50 | €21.03 | €21.58 |
As a rough guide, €21.03 an hour for a 40-hour week works out to about €3,645 gross a month (our calculation: €21.03 × 40 hours × 52 weeks ÷ 12). Many employers pay more: Health Minister Nina Warken has said average pay for care staff is already higher than the new minimums.
Who does the nursing minimum wage cover?
- Staff in care facilities covered by the regulation, mainly elderly care (Altenpflege) homes and services.
- It is a floor: higher pay from an employment contract or collective agreement still applies.
- Where the care minimum wage does not apply, for example in private households, the general statutory minimum wage applies instead.
The rules come from the 7th Care Working Conditions Regulation (Pflegearbeitsbedingungenverordnung), which runs from 1 July 2026 to 30 September 2028.
How much extra holiday do care workers get?
On top of the statutory 20 days of leave, staff in elderly care keep a right to nine extra paid days a year, based on a five-day working week. That means at least 29 paid leave days in total.
What it means for nurses
- Check your contract: if you work in elderly care in Germany, your hourly pay must be at least the rate for your qualification level.
- Recognition pays: the jump from €17.80 to €21.03 an hour shows why getting your foreign nursing degree recognised as a Pflegefachkraft matters.
- Plan for July 2027: rates rise again then, so budget offers and job comparisons should include the next step.
- Compare offers: recruiters’ offers for Filipino and other international nurses should be at or above these floors, and often higher under collective agreements.
Germany is also giving nurses more clinical responsibility; read about the Germany nursing law 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a nurse earn in Germany per hour in 2026?
In elderly care, a registered nurse must earn at least €21.03 gross per hour from 1 July 2026, rising to €21.58 from 1 July 2027. This is a legal minimum, not an average. Many nurses earn more under collective agreements or employer pay scales, and the minimum covers elderly care rather than every workplace.
Does the nursing minimum wage apply to foreign nurses?
Yes. The nursing minimum wage applies to everyone working in covered care facilities, whatever their nationality. The minimum that applies depends on the role and qualification level you are employed in, so the registered-nurse rate generally depends on your degree being recognised as a Pflegefachkraft.
Who sets the nursing minimum wage in Germany?
The Care Commission (Pflegekommission) recommends new rates every two years based on pay trends and the economy. It has eight members, four from employers and four from employees. The government then makes the rates binding by regulation, as it did for the increases starting on 1 July 2026 and 1 July 2027.
Related on Nurses Notes
- Germany nursing law 2026: nurses gain new powers
- Pflegefachassistenz: Germany’s new nursing assistant training
- Towne Nursing settlement for Filipino nurses
- Nursing jobs and migration news
Sources
This summary is for information only and does not replace official guidance or advice from a qualified professional. It is not legal or immigration advice.
