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Everything that changes in Germany in June 2021

From more vaccine appointments to better funding for trainees, here's what's different in Deutschland in June.

Published: 28 May 2021 18:19 CEST
Updated: 8 June 2021 17:22 CEST
Everything that changes in Germany in June 2021
Clock in Rehna, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Photo: picture alliance / Jens Büttner/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa | Jens Büttner

No more vaccine priority list

Starting on June 7th, vaccine appointments around Germany will be open to anyone 12 and over, regardless of whether they belong to a priority group or not.

Currently appointments at vaccine centres are available in most states to groups 1 and 3, which include anyone over 60, certain professions, and those with pre-existing medical conditions. Most states also allow GPs to issue vaccines at their own discretion, although appointments can be hard to come by.

READ ALSO:

Germany’s Deutsche Bahn gets supersized – and refunds go digital

As the state-owner rail operator announced in December, the new fourth-generation high-speed train (XXL-ICE) is scheduled to hit the tracks for the first time in June. With 919 seats and 13 train sections, it will be the largest of its kind to date. According to Deutsche Bahn, the first area of operation will be the route between Hamburg, Cologne, Stuttgart and Munich.

If you book a trip on one of these super fast trains, and it’s still running late, fear not: for the first time in June, Deutsche Bahn will also be offering online refunds that can be issued at just a few button clicks. 

An ICE train in Berlin. Photo: DPA

More apprenticeships

Starting on June 1st, companies that maintain or even expand their available spots for trainees despite major coronavirus-related problems can receive up to €6,000 per training place, twice as much as before. Companies with a maximum of 499 employees – instead of the previous 249 – will be eligible.

School holidays start

For millions of schoolchildren, the second “coronavirus school year” is coming to an end. Children and young people in the coastal states of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Schleswig-Holstein will be the first to start their summer vacations – their last day of school is June 18th.

Bavaria will be the last state to start on July 30th. August 1st will then mark the only weekend in Germany when all schoolchildren will be on summer holidays at the same time. 

Gender reassignment surgeries of children

Parents of intersex children may no longer have gender reassignment surgeries performed on their offspring. When the law came into effect at the beginning of June, treatments intended to align a child’s physical appearance with that of the male or female sex were banned. The law was put in place to better allow children to decide for themselves at a later date on the gender they most identify with.

Exceptions are only allowed if the procedure cannot be postponed medically and is approved by an interdisciplinary commission. Estimates put the number of people born with ambiguous gender characteristics in Germany at around 160,000.

Goodbye (free) Google storage space

Google is doing away with unlimited storage space in its photo service. Previously, “Google Photos” allowed users to upload images in reduced quality – the company calls this “high quality” instead of “original” – to the cloud without restrictions. 

Starting on June 1st, they will be counted toward the free limit of 15 gigabytes. Anyone who reaches it will have to buy additional storage space. Users of Google’s Pixel smartphones are excluded.

Digital passport

By the end of June, it should be possible to use a digital corona vaccination certificate throughout Germany, according to Health Minister Jens Spahn. 

The so-called CovPass is planned both as a separate app and as a new function in the existing Coronavirus Warning app.

The digital vaccination pass. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/dpa-Zentralbild-Pool | Soeren Stache

The digital vaccination passport will not only certify Covid vaccinations, but also show negative tests or recovery from an infection. It would thus be important proof for all people who are entitled to relaxations. However, it is not to become compulsory: the traditional ‘yellow booklet’ vaccine card will remain valid.

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Changes to travel rules?

New coronavirus virus entry regulations were introduced May 12th and relate to several provisions – for example, the quarantine requirement. This same regulation applies “until June 30, 2021, at the latest,” according to the federal regulation.

At the moment there are strict quarantine and testing requirements in place. 

We’ll find out how the rules will change after this date and make sure to provide you with an update. 

READ ALSO: What you need to know about the latest rules on travel to and from Germany

Member comments

  1. I work in Germany, come from Scotland, live in England and am married to a Danish lady. The Local is invaluable to me with regards to keeping up with ever changing restrictions and news. My German is not great, but I always make the effort. Thank you for providing this great service.

    1. Hi Frank, thank you so much for your lovely comment! We’re glad you find the information really helpful.
      Rachel

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WORKING IN GERMANY

Five things to know about salaries in Germany

Finding a job is typically a top priority when planning a move to Germany. The country boasts the third largest economy in the world and a continuing need for skilled professionals. 

Published: 2 May 2024 12:26 CEST
Five things to know about salaries in Germany

If you are moving to Germany, you might soon start looking for a job in the country. However, like many other aspects of living abroad, there are several cultural differences and specificities when it comes to job hunting in Germany – especially when it comes to salaries.

Here are five things to know about salaries in Germany.

There is a minimum wage in Germany

Germany’s minimum wage of €12.41 per hour, pre-tax came into effect at the start of this year. This amounts to a monthly salary of €2,054 which ranks ninth in the world. The minimum wage will rise again in 2025 to €12.82 per hour before tax deductions.

There have been calls recently to hike the salary up higher to €14 per hour.

READ ALSO: Millions of workers in Germany ‘earning less than €14 per hour’

Find out salary expectations

Germany does not require companies to list salary ranges for listed positions. But that may be changing soon. The EU parliament passed a wage transparency law to require companies to publish annual reports detailing wage and wage discrepancy information. The rules, which are set to go into effect in 2027, are intended to help close the gender pay gap. 

In the meantime, employees can utilise online resources to find industry averages and expectations for different roles:

  • Gehalt.de offers users access to salary information on more than 800 professions
  • Online platform, Kununu provides compensation information and employer reviews to users in the DACH region  
  • Berlin residents can utilise REDSOFA’s salary survey for an overview of salary averages in the country’s capital city

As of April 2023 the average gross monthly salary was €4,323 according to Germany’s Federal Statistical Office.

Two-thirds of full time workers make less than this average monthly salary and one-third of workers earn more than this average monthly salary.

While wages after deductions may be less than similar roles in other countries, it is also important to take into consideration what other benefits come with a salary. Paid holiday leave, pension contributions, long notice periods and annual bonuses can help make up some of that difference. 

READ ALSO: How much do employees in Germany typically earn?

Check your payment schedule

Internationals can usually expect their salary once a month when working in Germany. Many German companies choose to pay employees either on the 1st or 15th of the month. It is also important to note that most employees can expect to receive their first pay check within 30 or 45 days of starting. 

For positions that offer yearly bonuses, these payments are included in a 13th pay check which are subject to income tax.  

A person works on a laptop.

A person works on a laptop. Image by Bartek Zakrzewski from Pixabay

How many hours do you work?

When looking for a job, don’t forget to check how many hours you can expect. Job descriptions will include expectations for time commitments. 

Mini-jobs, as expected from the name, are limited in hours and pay. Employees can expect up to €538 per month. Mini-jobs do not provide social security because they do not require social security contributions. Employees are also not automatically covered by health and nursing care insurance. 

Teilzeit, or part time jobs, are defined as any job where working hours are less than a full time position.

A common misconception is that part-time work requires working 20 hours or less a week. But an employee working five days a week for 30 hours, at a position that is typically 40 hours when full time can also be defined as a part time worker. 

READ ALSO: The rules in Germany around ‘mini’ and ‘midi jobs’

In fact, Germany has a term for workers who work between 28 and 36 hours a week. Vollzeitnahe Teilzeit, or nearly full time part time workers, can be a popular choice for some people, including parents. These positions can give employees more flexibility to balance work and family responsibilities. It is important to note that these workers are paid according to their time worked, so it will still amount to less than full time.

Depending on the work schedule, part time employees can earn the same amount of vacation as their full-time counterparts. That’s because holiday leave is calculated based on days worked, not hours. If a part time worker comes in five days a week, they will be eligible for at least 20 days of holiday. If that same part time worker comes in three days a week, they will be legally entitled to twelve days of vacation, even if they worked the same hours as the other employee. 

In most companies, weekly working hours between 35 and 40 hours are considered full-time employment or Vollzeitbeschäftigung. 

Watch out for the gross v. net difference

Before you sign the dotted line, it will be important to check how much of your gross salary you’ll be able to keep come pay day. Companies that include salary expectations in descriptions include gross salary (Bruttoeinkommen) – not the net income after taxes and deductions (Nettoeinkommen). The amount deducted will depend on how much you earn, the tax class you’re in and on other factors such as how much you’re paying for healthcare but it is usually around 40 percent. 

Salaried employees can find information on the deductions on their pay slip. Some to expect to see include:

  • Taxes are deducted directly from the gross pay. The amount is based on the tax bracket your salary falls within 
  • A percentage of your gross salary is also deducted for your pension / retirement contributions
  • Church taxes between eight and nine percent of your salary will also be due if you are affiliated with a religion
  • Unemployment insurance amounts to a 2.5 percent deduction from your gross salary. It is important to note that the insurance covers a salary up to €90,600 
  • Health insurance contribution rates are typically split between employers and employees. The rate depends on the provider. In 2024, the TK contribution rate to health insurance is 15.8 percent of the gross income

READ ALSO: What you need to know about your payslip in Germany 

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