This page lists the changes in Germany for 2027 that matter most to expats, from your salary and health insurance to the Deutschlandticket, taxes and housing. Each entry links to our detailed article.
NOTE: Last updated: November 9, 2026. We add new changes as soon as they are announced. “Decided” means the change is law or officially set. “Planned” means it can still change or be dropped.
Jump to: Work and Pay · Health and Care Insurance · Transport and Car · Tax, Savings and Pensions · Housing and Family · ID and Paperwork
Work and Pay
| Change | What changes | Status | Read more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage rises to €14.60 | The statutory minimum wage rises from €13.90 to €14.60 gross per hour on January 1, 2027. | Decided | Minimum wage 2027 -> |
| Minijob limit rises to €633 | Minijobbers can earn up to €633 a month (€7,596 a year) from January 1, 2027, up from €603. | Decided | Minijob limit 2027 -> |
| Fewer paid child sick days | Paid child sick days (Kinderkrankentage) drop from 15 to 10 per child and parent from January 1, 2027. | Decided | Kinderkrankentage 2027 -> |
Health and Care Insurance
| Change | What changes | Status | Read more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Zusatzbeitrag stays at 2.9% | The average additional contribution for public health insurance stays at 2.9% in 2027. Each insurer still sets its own rate. | Decided | Zusatzbeitrag 2027 -> Zusatzbeitrag of every insurer -> |
| Higher contribution ceiling and compulsory insurance limit | Health insurance contributions are charged on income up to €6,375 a month (€76,500 a year). Employees can choose private health insurance above €84,150 a year. | Approved by the federal cabinet on October 7, 2026 | What you pay in 2027 -> Public or private? -> |
| Higher employer subsidy for private health insurance | Employers can contribute up to roughly €561 a month toward a private health insurance premium, up from €508.59. | Decided | Employer PKV subsidy 2027 -> |
| Long-term care insurance reform | Childless people would pay higher care insurance contributions, and some people receiving care at home would lose a €131 monthly allowance. | Planned (cabinet bill of September 30, 2026) | Care insurance reform -> |
| Federal health budget cut | The federal health budget falls to €14.33 billion in 2027, mostly through a lower federal subsidy to public health insurance. | Federal budget plan | Health budget 2027 -> |
Not sure whether your health insurance still fits after these changes? Compare insurers with our public health insurance cost calculator, or book a free callback with an independent health insurance broker.
Transport and Car
| Change | What changes | Status | Read more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deutschlandticket costs €66.80 | The monthly price rises from €63 to €66.80 on January 1, 2027. DB subscribers must agree to the new price by November 30, 2026. | Decided | Deutschlandticket 2027 -> |
| New car insurance type classes | About 7.4 million drivers move into a higher liability type class and about 5.1 million into a lower one. Cancel by November 30, 2026 to switch on January 1. | Published by the GDV | Car insurance deadline -> |
You can compare car insurance on Check24* and Verivox*.
Tax, Savings and Pensions
| Change | What changes | Status | Read more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tax-free allowance (Lohnsteuer-Freibetrag) for 2027 | You can apply since November 1, 2026. Apply by January 31, 2027 to pay less tax from your January salary. | Open for applications | How to apply -> More ways to raise your net pay -> |
| Altersvorsorgedepot replaces Riester | A new state-subsidized retirement investment account starts on January 1, 2027, with a subsidy worth up to €540 a year. | Decided | Altersvorsorgedepot -> |
| Tobacco tax rises every year | The tobacco tax rises in yearly steps from 2027 to 2030. The minimum tax on a pack of 20 cigarettes is €5.53 in 2027. | Decided | Tobacco tax 2027 to 2030 -> The drafting error -> |
You can use online services to help you file and save income tax in Germany. We find Wundertax*, SteuerGo*, and WISO Steuer* (German) among the best tax software out there.
If you have a complex tax return or filing it yourself makes you nervous, you should get advice from a tax consultant. Tax consultants are not cheap in Germany. Depending on your situation, they may cost between 600€ and 2000€.
However, a good tax consultant can save you a lot of money.
You can get a free quote from a tax consultant here. The tax advisor offer services in English.
Housing and Family
| Change | What changes | Status | Read more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing benefit (Wohngeld) cuts | The regular Wohngeld increase would be suspended, the heating cost component halved and more income counted. Up to 400,000 households could lose their claim. | Planned (not yet passed) | Who could lose Wohngeld -> Bundesrat pushback -> |
ID and Paperwork
| Change | What changes | Status | Read more |
|---|---|---|---|
| New ID card rules | ID cards issued after the end of 2027 will look and work differently. Address stickers are set to be replaced, and the printed address may be removed. | Announced by the Interior Ministry | ID card changes -> |
Never Miss a Change
We summarize the most important new laws and deadlines for expats in our GermanPedia newsletter.
