Here’s the deal
- What do domestic workers in Germany really earn?
- Who are the people working in private households?
- Why is undeclared work so common – and what can be done about it?
More than 4 million households in Germany employ domestic help, yet over 91% of these arrangements are not officially registered. quitt partnered with market research institute Appinio to survey 1,351 people and analyze 1,935 employment contracts to shed light on this invisible labor market. The result is the quitt Domestic Help Report 2026. Here, we present three of the most compelling findings.
The average wage is well above the minimum wage
In 2026, the statutory minimum wage in Germany is €13.90 per hour. The actual average wage, at €17.93 per hour , is significantly higher. Bavaria pays the most at €18.92, while Rhineland-Palatinate, Schleswig-Holstein, and Hamburg are at the lower end, about €1 below the national average.
The average domestic worker is 46, female, and German
The typical domestic worker in Germany is 46 years old, female (86% female) and from Germany (53.7%). For many, this is not a side job: 47% work more than 20 hours per week in private households, performing tasks ranging from general housework (35.1%) and childcare (33.6%) to senior care (13.1%).
Undeclared work is structural, not moral
Perhaps the most surprising finding: undeclared work does not stem from malicious intent, but rather from a combination of high taxes and bureaucratic hurdles.
The mutual finger-pointing is particularly revealing: 34.3% of employers claim the domestic worker only wants to be paid in cash, while 34.6% of employees state that the employer suggested cash payment. According to the survey, the solution lies not in more inspections, but in simpler, digital processes. 67.6% of employers would register their help officially if the effort involved were lower.
Read the full report here
We handle the registration for you
Enter the key details, and quitt registers your domestic helper, including the Betriebsnummer and everything that goes with it.
