In Germany there is a minimum legal wage; it currently (as of January 2020) amounts to EUR 9.35 an hour. However, the minimum wage only applies to work, not to vocational training, internships or to minors without a vocational training qualification. In these cases, lower wages can be paid.

Minimum wage – EUR 9.35 an hour

Trade unions and employers have negotiated collective wage agreements in many industries, and these regulate wages. In collective wage agreements the principle also applies that the better quali-fied you are, the more you earn. Skilled workers earn more than unskilled workers, while trained technicians or engineers with university qualifications earn even more.