Minimum Wage for apprentices in Germany
- 13. 05. 2019
The Federal Government clears the way for a minimum wage for apprentices. Trainees should receive a minimum training allowance of 515 euros per month in their first year of training from 2020 onwards. In the following years, the training allowance should increase further – 2021 to 550 euros, one year later to 585 euros and from 2023 to 620 euros. In addition, an additional staggering of the minimum remuneration for apprentices is planned in the second and third year of apprenticeship.
The reform of the Vocational Education Act by Minister of Education Anja Karliczek (CDU) is to be decided on Wednesday by the Cabinet. For the first time in Germany, the reform establishes a statutory lower limit for the remuneration of apprentices – analogous to the statutory minimum wage. Until last, there was a dispute over the amount of payments.
„The stipulated amount of the minimum training allowance is recognition of the performance of the apprentices in the company. On the other hand, however, it must also be ensured that the motivation of the companies remains to offer training places, „it said from the Ministry of Education. Karliczek has therefore made concessions in advance: The collective bargaining parties should contractually be able to agree on a lower remuneration. This means that where there is currently a collective bargaining agreement, it can happen that trainees continue to receive less than the minimum wage.
