Labor Costs

People employed in Germany have to contribute to four principal social insurance schemes. The contribution is generally paid half by the employer and half by the employee. This also includes trainees and members of the armed forces and civil service. As a relief for the employer, the employee is to pay 0.9% of all social security costs by himself. The exact contributions are:

1.) Rentenversicherung (old-age pension insurance):	19.5%
2.) Arbeitslosenversicherung (unemployment insurance):	3.3 %
3.) Krankenversicherung (health insurance):	14.9%
4.) Employee's Relief Contribution	0.9%
5.) Pflegeversicherung (nursing care insurance):	1.7%
Total (employer's share):	18.8%