Kitchen helper in Germany: pay and requirements

What you do in this job

You wash and cut vegetables, portion food, help with simple dishes, wash dishes and pots and clean work surfaces and equipment. Job ads also say kitchen assistant or dishwasher.

Kitchen helper pay – by federal state

The figures come from the Entgeltatlas (pay atlas) of the Federal Employment Agency, skill level “helper”: median gross monthly pay of employees in full-time work, reference date 31.12.2025, across all age groups and industries. Half earn more, half earn less. The Entgeltatlas counts this work in the occupational group “Köche/Köchinnen (ohne Spezialisierung) – Helfer-/Anlerntätigkeiten”. What you earn depends on the employer, collective agreement, hours and region – this is not a promise; after tax and social insurance, less is left as net pay.

Federal state	Median gross/month
Germany overall	€2,556
Bayern	€2,626
Schleswig-Holstein	€2,622
Hessen	€2,595
Baden-Württemberg	€2,579
Rheinland-Pfalz	€2,572
Niedersachsen	€2,556
Hamburg	€2,547
Nordrhein-Westfalen	€2,537
Saarland	€2,524
Bremen	€2,504
Thüringen	€2,473
Berlin	€2,466
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern	€2,464
Brandenburg	€2,442
Sachsen-Anhalt	€2,417
Sachsen	€2,410

Calculate wage tax (excluding social security contributions): calculator of the Federal Ministry of Finance

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Minimum wage and mini-job

Germany has a statutory minimum wage of €13.90 gross per hour (since 1 January 2026); from 1 January 2027 it is €14.60. If a higher minimum wage applies in an industry, that one takes precedence. In a mini-job you may earn up to €603 a month (2026; from 2027: €633). A recruiter may not charge you any money for placing you in a mini-job – and at Intucora you never pay anything as an applicant. There are only a few exceptions to the minimum wage, for example for young people under 18 without completed vocational training and for the long-term unemployed during the first six months of a new job (Section 22 of the Minimum Wage Act, MiLoG).

No vocational training, no experience, no German – what applies?

No vocational training The law does not require vocational training for this work. You learn what you need to know about machines and equipment during your workplace induction.
No experience No vocational training does not mean no experience: some employers take beginners, others prefer experience in similar work. Write in your profile what you have already done – including side jobs and work abroad.
No German The law does not require a fixed language level. Whether you can work without German is up to the employer. You must understand safety instructions – ask which language they are given in. Every bit of German helps in the team.

Instruction by the public health office

Anyone who works in the kitchens of restaurants, canteens or similar establishments needs, before the first working day, a certificate of instruction by the public health office (Gesundheitsamt) or by a doctor commissioned by the public health office. When you start work, it may not be older than three months (Section 43 of the Infection Protection Act, Infektionsschutzgesetz). Ask the public health office about appointments and costs.

Who may work in Germany as a helper?

From the EU or the EEA You need no visa and no residence permit and may take any job, including as a helper.
You already live in Germany Your residence permit states whether and what work you may do. If it allows any employment, you may also work as a helper; a permit for one specific job does not allow another. The employer must check your permit.
From Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia or Serbia Under the Western Balkans rule, the Federal Employment Agency can approve any employment, even without a vocational qualification. Among other things, you need a specific job offer. The number of approvals is limited to 50,000 per calendar year, and you submit the first application at the German mission in one of the six countries, not in Germany. This is not a promise.
From Andorra, Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, the United Kingdom or the USA The Federal Employment Agency can approve any employment – even without a vocational qualification, usually after a priority check (Vorrangprüfung). You need a specific job offer.
From other countries For work without a recognised qualification there is generally no visa. Exceptions are narrowly limited, for example seasonal work under agreements between the Federal Employment Agency and the country of origin. If you have vocational training or a degree, you will find the routes for skilled workers on our occupation pages.

The language of this page says nothing about which route applies to you – what matters is your nationality and your residence status. Companies on Intucora are looking for people who are allowed to work in Germany; state in your profile whether and on what basis you may work here.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a kitchen helper earn in Germany?

According to the Entgeltatlas of the Federal Employment Agency, the median gross monthly pay for full-time work at helper level is €2,556 (reference date 31.12.2025). The middle half earns between €2,275 and €2,954. At the very least, the statutory minimum wage of €13.90 per hour applies.

What do I need before I start as a kitchen helper?

A certificate of instruction by the public health office under Section 43 of the Infection Protection Act. On your first working day it may not be older than three months.

Do I need German to work in a kitchen?

No fixed language level is required; whether you can work without German is up to the employer. You must be able to understand hygiene rules and safety instructions.

Related work

Sources

Last checked: 15 October 2026