What's the difference between a mini-job and a midi-job?

A mini-job and a midi-job are both legal forms of employment in a private household. The difference is mainly the level of pay, and the registration, the contributions, and what ends up with the domestic helper all follow from that. We go through both.

What's the difference between a mini-job and a midi-job?

The threshold is the pay: up to 603 € a month it's a mini-job, from 603.01 € to 2,000 € a midi-job. What else differs:

• Threshold: mini-job up to 603 €/month, midi-job 603.01 to 2,000 €/month
• Registration: mini-job via the Haushaltsscheck (simplified), midi-job as regular employment subject to social security
• Employer contributions: mini-job around 14.6 %, midi-job around 21 %
• The worker's pay: mini-job gross equals net, midi-job with deductions (reduced in the transition zone)

What is a mini-job?

A mini-job is employment up to 603 € a month, that is 7,236 € a year. At the average hourly wage of a domestic helper of 17.93 € (quitt Report) that is around 34 hours a month. You cannot pay less than the minimum wage of 13.90 €.

In a private household you register a mini-job via the Haushaltsscheck procedure run by the Minijob-Zentrale and pay only around 14.6 % in contributions as an employer. For the domestic helper, the gross wage equals the net wage: instead of individual wage tax, the employer pays a flat-rate tax of 2 %, so no tax is deducted from the wage. The only possible deduction is the pension insurance own-share of 13.6 %, which the worker can opt out of.

What is a midi-job?

A midi-job is between 603.01 € and 2,000 € a month. This makes the job subject to social security, and the simplified Haushaltsscheck procedure no longer applies. For you as an employer, contributions rise to around 21 %.

For the domestic helper, contributions to health, pension, long-term care, and unemployment insurance now apply, plus wage tax depending on the tax class. The clever part of the transition zone: the employee's contributions start reduced and only rise slowly to the full rate as pay increases. At 1,000 € gross, for example, around 850 € net remains. For how gross and net differ, see Net or gross for a domestic helper's pay.

From 2,000 € a month the transition zone ends: it is then a regular part-time or full-time job, and the domestic helper pays the full employee share without any reduction.

What happens if the pay exceeds the threshold?

As soon as the regular earnings go above 603 € a month, the mini-job becomes a midi-job. Important: several jobs are counted together. If your domestic helper also works in other households, she may already be over the threshold in total, even if she only does a few hours for you.

An example: if your helper has two positions of 400 € each, together that is 800 €, and both positions become subject to social security. This is not the exception but the rule: according to the quitt Haushaltshilfen-Report 2026, over 70 % of domestic helpers work in more than one household.

An occasional, unforeseen crossing of the threshold is allowed up to twice a year, for example covering a holiday. Anyone who earns more on a lasting basis has to be registered as a midi-job. For what a mini-job costs, see What does a cleaner cost?; the exact figures for a midi-job are shown by the wage cost calculator.

What does quitt take care of for me?

Based on pay and hours, quitt identifies the right form of employment, registers it correctly, and handles the payroll, whether mini-job or midi-job. You enter the key details, and quitt takes care of registration, payroll, and insurance. You remain the employer and decide whom you hire and what you pay. For how employment works step by step, see How do I employ my domestic helper?

Found a household helper? Start the registration and quitt handles the rest. You can see what the service costs on the pricing page.