In 2025, thousands of employers in Germany violated the minimum wage law, with most irregularities occurring in the hotel and restaurant sector.

According to data from the Federal Ministry of Finance, in 2025, nearly 25% of the inspections carried out by authorities revealed irregularities related to the minimum wage in Germany. The customs structure Finanzkontrolle Schwarzarbeit checked 25,765 employers, opening 6,121 procedures for alleged violations of the law.

The most violations were identified in the hotel and restaurant sector, but also in transport, construction, and beauty salons. The minimum wage increased from 12.82 euros to 13.90 euros per hour, applying to 4.8 million jobs.

Deputy Cem Ince requested an extension of the inspections, emphasizing that many violations, such as the non-registration of working hours or pressure on employees to work without pay, continue to exist. These practices also include deductions from wages for various expenses to avoid paying the minimum wage.