Hiring Interns: Minimum Remuneration under Section 22 MiLoG (Minimum Wage Act)

First: The basic rule according to § 22 MiLoG

Not all interns are covered by the statutory minimum wage.
Some are entitled to the legal minimum wage (around €12.41 per hour in 2025),
while others are legally exempt from it.

Types of internships and minimum wage entitlement

Type of internship – Entitled to Mindestlohn? – Notes

• Mandatory internship (compulsory as part of a degree or school programme)

  • No entitlement to the minimum wage.

  • Applies if the internship is part of the official curriculum (e.g. university, school).

• Voluntary internship before studies, shorter than 3 months

  • No entitlement to the minimum wage.

  • Voluntary and short-term (less than 3 months), therefore not subject to minimum wage.

• Voluntary internship longer than 3 months

  • Yes, full entitlement to the statutory minimum wage.

  • As soon as the duration exceeds 3 months, minimum wage must be paid.

• Internship after graduation (after completing university studies)

  • Yes, entitlement to minimum wage, regardless of duration.

• School internship (Schülerpraktikum)

  • No statutory entitlement to minimum wage.

  • There is no legal obligation to pay, but voluntary payment is allowed.

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Very important condition:

From day 91 (i.e. after 3 full months), a voluntary intern is entitled to the full statutory minimum wage,
unless the internship is a mandatory (compulsory) one.

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What does a legally compliant employment of a paid intern include?

• A clear internship contract (Praktikumsvertrag) specifying:

  • duration,

  • tasks and responsibilities,

  • remuneration (wage level).

• Registration for social security if the monthly pay exceeds €520 (i.e. not a mini-job anymore).

• Issuing a certificate of employment / internship certificate (Praktikumszeugnis) at the end of the internship.

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Warning:

Misuse or violations of § 22 MiLoG can be considered an attempt to circumvent the minimum wage law and may lead to fines of up to €500,000,
especially if an “internship” is used merely as a pretext to avoid paying proper wages for regular work.

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Editorial note

The authors and editorial team of this website strive to provide accurate information based on thorough research and several sources. However, errors may occur, or some information may be incomplete or not fully confirmed from a legal perspective. Therefore, please treat the information in this article as an initial guide and always consult the competent authorities or professional advisors for binding and up-to-date legal information.