The German authorities have decided to increase the minimum wage for workers in the care sector, with an hourly rate of 21.58 euros per hour for qualified staff and 16.95 euros per hour for unqualified workers, until 2027. The measure, adopted by the Care Commission, aims to support a sector affected by a lack of workforce. Care employees will also benefit from new additional days of paid leave annually.
The Minister of Labor, Bärbel Bas, emphasized the importance of these salary increases to attract young people to the field. However, not all workers will benefit from these increases, especially those in private households, who remain below the general minimum wage of 12.82 euros, highlighting the wage disparities in the sector. Approximately 1.3 million employees are affected by the new regulations, which provide financial stability to care units.