Germany had 45.52 million employed residents in March 2026, down 174,000 from the same month a year earlier, according to Destatis. The ILO unemployment rate reached 4.2% in February 2026, the highest since the pandemic years, while registered unemployment crossed 3 million for the first time since 2010. This article breaks down the latest employment in Germany statistics for 2026, covering workforce numbers, unemployment trends, sector-level shifts, foreign worker data, and the skilled labour gap.
Employment In Germany Statistics 2026 — TL;DR
- Germany recorded 45.52 million employed persons in March 2026, down from an all-time peak of 46.09 million in late 2024.
- The ILO unemployment rate stood at 4.2% in February 2026; the registered rate hit 6.4% in April 2026.
- Industry cut roughly 124,000 jobs in 2025, with automotive alone losing around 50,000 positions.
- Foreign nationals held 5.7 million social-security jobs as of September 2025, accounting for 16.4% of all covered employment.
- The OECD projects the ILO rate will fall to 3.5% by Q4 2026 as GDP growth picks up to 1.2%.
How Many People Are Employed In Germany In 2026?
Germany’s workforce peaked at 46.09 million in late 2024 — the highest level since reunification in 1990. Since then, the count has dropped steadily, averaging a monthly decline of 16,000 between May 2025 and February 2026. By March 2026, total employment stood at 45.52 million.
The employment rate for ages 15–64 was 77.6% in Q1 2025, a slight increase from 77.3% a year earlier. Higher participation among women and older workers drove that gain. The OECD expects a further 0.2 percentage point increase over 2026.
| Year | Total Employed (millions) | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 45.6 | +588,000 |
| 2023 | 45.9 | +306,000 |
| 2024 | 46.0 | +52,000 |
| 2025 | 46.0 | −5,000 |
| 2026 (Mar) | 45.52 | −174,000 |
Source: Destatis, Bundesagentur für Arbeit
What Is Germany’s Unemployment Rate In 2026?
Two measures track unemployment in Germany, and they tell different stories. The ILO definition counted 1.84 million unemployed in February 2026, putting the rate at 4.2%. The Bundesagentur für Arbeit’s registered system, which excludes anyone working fewer than 15 hours per week, recorded an average of 3.05 million unemployed and a rate of 6.4% in April 2026.
That 3.05 million average is the highest registered count since 2010. Under the ILO definition, February 2026 showed an increase of 233,000 (+14.5%) compared with the same month in 2025.
| Year | ILO Rate | Registered Rate (BA) | Registered Unemployed (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 3.8% | 5.9% | 2.70 |
| 2021 | 3.6% | 5.7% | 2.61 |
| 2022 | 3.1% | 5.3% | 2.42 |
| 2023 | 3.0% | 5.7% | 2.61 |
| 2024 | 3.1% | 6.0% | 2.72 |
| 2025 | 3.5% | 6.3% | 2.95 |
| 2026 | 4.2% (Feb) | 6.4% (Apr) | 3.05 (avg) |
Source: Destatis, Eurostat, Bundesagentur für Arbeit
Employment In Germany By Economic Sector
Services made up 75.9% of total employment in 2025 and grew by 0.5% year-over-year. Public services, education, and health added 205,000 positions — the largest gain across all branches. Financial and insurance services grew 1.5%, adding 16,000 jobs.
On the other side, business services (including temp work) shed 64,000 positions, a 1.0% drop. Trade, transport, and hospitality lost 15,000 jobs. Industry excluding construction contracted 1.8%, cutting 143,000 positions. Construction fell 0.9%, losing 23,000 workers.
| Sector | Share of Employment (2025) | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| Services (total) | 75.9% | +0.5% |
| — Public services, education, health | — | +1.7% |
| — Financial & insurance | — | +1.5% |
| — Business services (incl. temp) | — | −1.0% |
| — Info & communication | — | −0.6% |
| Industry (excl. construction) | 22.8% | −1.8% |
| Construction | ~5.7% | −0.9% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 1.2% | −0.5% |
Source: Destatis
How Many Industrial Jobs Did Germany Lose?
Germany’s industrial sector cut around 124,000 jobs in 2025, according to an EY analysis of Destatis data. That brought total industrial employment to about 5.38 million, a 2.3% annual drop — nearly double the rate recorded in 2024. Automotive bore the worst of it, losing roughly 50,000 positions. Since 2019, automotive employment has fallen 13%, a loss of about 111,000 jobs.
Industrial revenue declined 1.1% in 2025, with Q4 marking the tenth straight quarter of contraction. Job growth in social-security-covered employment during 2025 came entirely from part-time positions; full-time employment fell.
Source: EY analysis via dpa
Foreign Workers And Germany’s Labour Shortage
Foreign nationals held 5.7 million social-security-covered jobs in Germany as of September 2025, making up 16.4% of all covered employment. Non-EU citizens accounted for 55.7% of that foreign workforce. By October 2025, nearly 800,000 employed refugees from eight origin countries (Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Eritrea, Somalia, Nigeria, Pakistan) were working in Germany, with 695,000 in regular positions.
The domestic-born workforce is shrinking fast. The Federal Employment Agency estimates roughly 4.7 million workers will retire between 2024 and 2028. Germany’s old-age dependency ratio reached about 35.9% by late 2025 — around 36 people aged 65 or older for every 100 working-age adults.
The Bundesagentur’s 2024 shortage analysis flagged 163 occupations with qualified-worker bottlenecks, down from 183 the year before. That dip reflects weaker hiring demand from the slowing economy rather than any actual easing in the shortage. About 628,000 positions sat unfilled as of July 2025.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign nationals in social-security jobs | 5.7 million | Sep 2025 |
| Foreign share of covered employment | 16.4% | Sep 2025 |
| Non-EU share of foreign workers | 55.7% | Sep 2025 |
| Employed refugees (8 countries) | ~800,000 | Oct 2025 |
| Occupations with shortages | 163 of ~1,200 | 2024 |
| Unfilled positions | ~628,000 | Jul 2025 |
| Projected retirements (2024–2028) | ~4.7 million | Projection |
Source: Bundesagentur für Arbeit, FMC Group, EU Migration & Home Affairs
Germany’s Youth Unemployment And Gender Pay Gap
Youth unemployment (ages 15–24) reached 6.86% in 2025 — still the lowest in the EU, where the average sat at 15.4%. But the rate has been climbing since hitting 5.95% in 2023. Fewer apprenticeship positions were available in 2025, and most analysts expect no strong recovery in 2026.
The gender pay gap stayed at 16% in 2025. Women earned an average of €22.81 per hour gross versus €27.05 for men. Part-time work explains 19% of that gap. Among employed women, 32.9% cited family responsibilities as their reason for working part-time, compared with 7.9% of men.
Source: World Bank, Destatis
Germany Employment Outlook For 2026
GDP growth is projected at 1.2% in 2026, up from 0.4% in 2025. Consumer spending and increased public investment in defence and infrastructure should support the recovery, though tariff uncertainty and weak exports will keep pressure on manufacturing.
Trading Economics models project employed persons at 45,582,000 by end of Q2 2026, recovering toward 45,856,000 by 2027. The registered unemployment rate is expected to trend around 5.7% by 2027. The OECD forecasts the ILO rate will ease to 3.5% by Q4 2026.
The core problem is structural. Germany is losing industrial jobs at scale while the service sector — mainly healthcare and public administration — cannot absorb displaced workers fast enough. The total available labour pool will keep shrinking without continued immigration.
FAQs
How many people are employed in Germany in 2026?
Germany had 45.52 million employed residents in March 2026, according to Destatis. This is down from the all-time peak of 46.09 million recorded in late 2024.
What is Germany’s unemployment rate in 2026?
The ILO unemployment rate reached 4.2% in February 2026. The registered unemployment rate from the Bundesagentur für Arbeit stood at 6.4% in April 2026.
Which sector lost the most jobs in Germany?
Industry excluding construction cut around 124,000 jobs in 2025. The automotive sub-sector was hit hardest, losing approximately 50,000 positions in a single year.
How many foreign workers are employed in Germany?
As of September 2025, 5.7 million foreign nationals held social-security-covered jobs in Germany, representing 16.4% of all covered employment.
What is the gender pay gap in Germany?
The gender pay gap was 16% in 2025. Women earned an average gross hourly wage of €22.81 compared to €27.05 for men, according to Destatis.
Sources:
https://www.destatis.de/EN/Home/_node.html
https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-employment-outlook-2025_d3060679-en.html
