Is there employment in a mini-job in Germany? The question arises as to how often the threshold of 556 euros in the year 2025 can be exceeded without losing the benefits of this form of employment. This article explains the regulations for such cases – higher income does not always mean problems.
What is understood by a mini-job in Germany?
Let’s start with the question: What exactly is a mini-job? It is a form of employment in Germany that allows part-time work with lower tax and social security contributions, but with an earnings limit – in the year 2025, this is 556 euros monthly. Mini-jobs are popular among students, pensioners, or individuals who want to earn something in addition to their main source of income. They are often used in industries characterized by flexible or seasonal work, such as gastronomy, retail, or domestic care.
It should be noted that this form of employment has certain limitations and does not offer complete social security, which can be problematic in cases of prolonged illness or other unforeseen events. For this reason, the mini-job is often considered a supplement to regular employment and not a full-fledged replacement – however, it continues to enjoy great popularity due to the flexibility it offers.
A simple tax return in 12 minutes?
Choose Taxando!
What happens if the threshold of 556 euros is exceeded?
Exceeding this threshold in a month does not mean that the entitlements from the mini-job are lost, as it is an average value. A one-time exceeding of this amount is therefore not a problem, provided the actual average monthly income does not exceed 556 euros – a maximum of 6240 euros was earned annually in the relevant year.
How often can the threshold of 556 euros be exceeded in the year 2025?
From January 1, 2025, it is possible to exceed the income threshold unexpectedly for a maximum of two calendar months in the year. In such cases, the income in these months can be up to 1112 euros (double the monthly threshold of 556 euros). This means that in exceptional cases (e.g., as a substitute for a sick colleague), the mini-job status is retained as long as the average monthly income in the year does not exceed 556 euros and the total annual income does not exceed 6672 euros.
In previous years (until September 30, 2022), the threshold could even be exceeded for three calendar months, regardless of the amount of income, as long as the annual average was within the threshold (at that time 450 euros monthly).
Annual Exceedance of the Mini-Job Threshold
The general rule is: If the average monthly income of a mini-jobber exceeds 556 euros, it is not a mini-job. However, if the mini-jobber’s income only occasionally and unpredictably exceeds the upper monthly income threshold, the employment can still be considered a mini-job. Only situations where the annual income threshold of 6672 euros is exceeded are taken into account.
Occasional and Unpredictable Exceedance of the Mini-Job Threshold in the Year 2025
Since October 1, 2022, the “occasional exceedance of the threshold” has been legally regulated, and the term is specifically defined. In the year 2025, an exceedance of more than 556 euros within a maximum of two calendar months in the year is considered occasional.
The maximum income amount has also been set – individuals employed in a mini-job in the year 2025 can earn a maximum of double the monthly threshold, i.e., 1112 euros, in the months where the exceedance is considered unpredictable. Thus, under normal conditions, a mini-jobber can earn up to 6672 euros annually in the entire calendar year.
What are Unpredictable Events?
It has already been mentioned that the annual income amount in a mini-job can be exceeded when unpredictable events occur. But what are they exactly? These are situations that the company could not take into account when creating work schedules and analyzing working hours for the calculation of remuneration – their occurrence was not foreseeable. This is best illustrated by an example – such an event occurs when a mini-jobber substitutes for a sick colleague, works longer because a colleague is absent due to childcare duties, receives a performance-related bonus, or a bonus based on business results. It is different, for example, with vacation representation, as it is foreseeable that employees might take vacation.
Employment in the context of a mini-job in Germany is very attractive for many people, which is why the topic arouses so many emotions – it is now clear when exceeding the annual or monthly threshold is a problem and when there is no need to worry. After the latest legal changes, everything is even clearer.
The criteria are known – is there interest in a tax refund from Germany? Use our tax declaration application Taxando – this is the fastest, safest, and most convenient way!
Maciej Szewczyk
He gained experience as a consultant on IT projects for many international companies. In 2017, he founded the startup taxando GmbH, where he developed the innovative tax app Taxando, which simplifies the filing of annual tax returns.
Maciej Szewczyk combines technological expertise with in-depth knowledge of tax regulations, making him an expert in his field. In his private life, he is a happy husband and father and lives with his family in Berlin.
