What changes in Germany from September 2026
September in Germany has turned out to be a dense month: part of the tax advice reform came into force, the minimum rate in Zeitarbeit went up, the parliamentary season begins and three elections in the federal states come at once. We look separately at the deadlines in health insurance — both the move from a statutory Krankenkasse to a private insurer and the switch from one private policy to another: in both cases the date of 30 September comes up for a reason.
Ukrainian driving licences are being exchanged for German ones without exams
On 17 August 2026, an amendment was published in the Bundesgesetzblatt that Ukrainian chat groups had been waiting for for three years: Ukraine has been added to Anlage 11 of the FeV – the list of countries whose driving licences can be exchanged for German ones.
BAföG is set to increase — the main thing is to wait
The Cabinet has approved a BAföG increase: the housing allowance up to €440, the basic rate in stages up to €563.
Customs will be able to seize assets without criminal proceedings
On 12 August 2026 the federal cabinet approved a bill that gives the German Zoll the right to seize assets of questionable origin —
Early start pension: the state is opening a pension depot for children
On 12 August 2026, the Cabinet approved the Frühstartrente act. From the age of six, a child receives €10 a month into a pension fund.
Scalable Capital closes accounts of clients with a Russian passport
In early August clients of Scalable Capital with a Russian passport started receiving notices that their service was being terminated. In the cases known to us the account is closed on
AI in immigration offices: the cabinet approves the KIMVG
On 29 July 2026 the federal cabinet approved a bill on the use of artificial intelligence in the migration field — the KI-Migrationsverwaltungsgesetz (KIMVG). Authorities will be able to train AI on applicants' data and automatically check information against open sources on the internet. If you or people you know have an open asylum procedure or an application to extend an Aufenthaltstitel, this is not abstract news.
What changes in Germany from August 2026
August in Germany is a month when several very different rules take effect at once: two Krankenkassen raise their contributions, old cards held by family members of EU citizens lose their validity, and the AI Act article on labelling AI-generated content becomes applicable. We have gathered what really changes someone's plans and expenses.
Awkward questions for IT professionals in Germany
I collected the trickiest questions about IT — the ones people usually don't ask out loud — and put them to Andrey and Nastya. They are a married couple, both working in IT in Germany. I asked them to answer briefly and without corporate boilerplate. It came out more honest than expected: about money, about what the working day actually consists of, about AI and about what is hardest right now.
The biggest reform of statutory health insurance: what changes from 2027
On 10 July 2026 the Bundestag passed the largest package of statutory health insurance reforms ever — the GKV-Beitragssatzstabilisierungsgesetz. The reason is harsh: the GKV deficit for 2027 is estimated at
Elterngeld faces cuts: what is known about the draft
In early July a draft Elterngeld reform prepared by the family ministry reached the press. The gist: shorten the maximum benefit period and tie it to the involvement of both parents. Officially the draft has been confirmed only as a document that went into interministerial coordination (Ressortabstimmung): the Kabinett has not approved it, and it has not been introduced in parliament. We sort out what is fact here and what is so far only press reporting.
What changes in Germany from July 2026
On 1 July 2026 a whole block of changes came into force at once — many laws in Germany are tied to the start of the second half of the year to simplify the recalculation of benefits. We have collected what really affects your wallet: pensions, social benefits, parcels from abroad, taxes and fines.
Robocalls claiming to be from PayPal: how the scam works
The call starts with an automated voice message (Bandansage) supposedly from PayPal: a suspicious payment has been initiated on your account, press "1" to cancel it. The scam is not new — the Bundesnetzagentur officially warned about it back in 2023 — but according to the Verbraucherzentrale it is still around in 2026. Here is why it works and what to do.
June 2026 news
If May was the month of bank holidays, then in June the summer cultural season begins in Germany: the main news in Germany in June 2026.
February 2026 news
Lower net pensions as contributions rise, changes to social benefits and employment law, and what is new specifically in February.
