For the Federal Employment Agency (BA), supporting labour migration is a key pillar of securing labour and skilled workers in Germany. With immediate effect, interested workers can therefore obtain information online from abroad on topics related to labour migration, such as job hunting, training, recognition and labour market admission, and register on the BA's online portal.

Federal Employment Agency and German Rectors' Conference agree on new cooperation

Effective investments for rapid boost to economic recovery 

Fewer registered applicants for vocational training positions
 

Traces of economic weakness still visible

Promotion period from October 21 to 23, 2025

Automation through artificial intelligence (AI) must not lead to a situation where bots replace humans. With this clear stance, the HFA Alliance is entering the next phase of its networking activities as an officially registered association. It is committed to preserving value-adding activities for employees in the context of automation and AI.

Autumn recovery begins on a weak note

Demographic trends are set to bring about profound changes in the German labour market in the long term: on the one hand, the population is growing, while at the same time the number of people of working age is tending to decline due to the ageing of society. In particular, the labour force participation of people over the age of 55 is becoming increasingly important.

Federal Minister of Labour Bärbel Bas visited the headquarters of the Federal Employment Agency (BA) in Nuremberg today for the first time in her role as minister.

Child benefit and child supplement support families

Over the past ten years, it has taken increasingly longer for skilled trades businesses to fill vacant positions. One indication of this is the vacancy period for these positions, which has risen steadily and remains consistently higher than that for all registered jobs overall. The trend in the number of employees subject to social insurance contributions in skilled trades confirms this situation. On the occasion of the Skilled Trades Day, the BA takes a closer look at the data.

The BA offers support to employees who have been made redundant in finding new careers in order to prevent them from becoming unemployed. The sooner those affected contact their employment agency, the more successful this will be. Those who register as job seekers in a timely manner also avoid financial disadvantages.

Rise in unemployment due to the summer break

Open training positions and unplaced applicants on the training market do not always match up perfectly. In many cases, young people have different career aspirations than those offered by training providers. Many training providers also expect a higher qualification than they actually have.

Increase in unemployment, above all due to seasonal factors

• Median wages rose to €4,013 per month in 2024
• Gender pay gap stands at €346, below last year's level
• Highest wages in Hamburg, lowest wages in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

Economic weakness is still visible

The Administrative Board of the Federal Employment Agency (BA) has elected Anja Piel as its Chairwoman with effect from 1 July 2025. She is a member of the Executive Board of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB).

Around 1.52 million skilled workers were employed in IT, information and communication technology (ICT) professions in Germany last year – an increase of 4 percent over the previous year.

The protection and security of personal data in digital customer communications is a top priority for the Federal Employment Agency (BA). For this reason, the BA restricts the use of unsecure email communication and relies on secure digital access channels via its online portal and app.

Currently, there are still 229,000 training positions registered with employment agencies and job centres across Germany that remain unfilled. The spectrum is broad: Companies are still looking for trainees for many different professions. The career guidance services offered by employment agencies support young people in their search for a training position.

The Federal Employment Agency (BA) has developed an interactive statistics tool which can be used to investigate the effects of the ecological transformation on the labour market. It provides detailed insights into changes in employment trends in affected industries, regional particularities and skills shortages in specific occupations.

Shortages in 163 occupations

Lacklustre development continues

The Federal Employment Agency (BA) is employing private cloud technology provided by a German data centre. In the future, the payment systems for social security benefits such as Unemployment Benefit, Citizen’s Benefit and Child Benefit will be cloud-based. Ensuring social security benefits are reliably paid on time constitutes part of Germany’s critical Infrastructure (KRITIS) and is one of the Federal Employment Agency’s top priorities.

In 2024, the number of people with disabilities who were unemployed increased by six percent compared with the previous year. The annual average figure was 175,000, and the trend is continuing: since last summer, the figure has been continuously increasing – and now amounts to just under 183,000.

Most new nurses are from foreign countries

Survey reveals considerable willingness among companies to integrate refugees into the labor market

The 2025 “Summer of Vocational Training” gets started

little change from the seasonally-adjusted perspective

•    63.3 percent more benefit sanctions in comparison with 2023
•    Missed appointments the most frequent reason for sanctions
•    Majority of benefit recipients not affected by sanctions

Over the past twelve months, the number of people employed in the manufacturing sector in Germany has fallen by approximately 120,000. While 6.79 million people were employed in manufacturing in January 2024, according to the projections of the Federal Employment Agency, the figure in January 2025 was 6.67 million. This means that employment in this field has now been falling month-on-month since August 2023. In this context, there have been especially strong falls in headcounts at small and medium-sized businesses with fewer than 250 employees.

Customers are currently unable to change their address or account details in eServices online. This is due to unauthorised third parties having gained access to customers’ personal end devices, and not to the IT systems at the Federal Employment Agency. A “technical maintenance page” has therefore been activated for the area of personal data in all the online accounts of the Federal Employment Agency (BA).

A muted spring upturn

Traditional gender roles can be difficult to overcome. There are still numerous occupational fields in Germany in which both women and men are significantly underrepresented. Too few men work in nursing, for example, while there aren’t enough women in technical roles.

Germany’s “Vocational Training Week” starts on 24th March. In a variety of campaigns, federal employment agencies, Jobcenters, careers advice centres for young people as well as their partners will drum up support for in-company vocational training.

The labour market for qualified childcare and early years education staff

International Women’s Day on 8 March

A positive response to the digital parents’ evenings

Poorly-performing economy remains evident

The end of the month marks the third anniversary of the start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

The weak economy is having an increasing impact

Citizen’s benefit recipients can now use a new app to submit documents to their Jobcenter, check the status of their application for citizen’s benefit and update their information.

• In 2024, the number of appeals decreased while the number of lawsuits was slightly up
• The rate of appeals against Jobcenters operated as joint institutions was approximately 1.8 percent

Foreign employees represent an integral element to achieving higher employment levels

Economic stagnation has a considerable impact on the labour market

An increase in unemployment, although largely for seasonal reasons

“The Family Benefits Office is implementing the new rates immediately and will pay them on schedule in January,” said Martina Rauch, Head of the BA Family Benefits Office. “The increases in the Child Benefit and the Child Allowance are an important contribution to the financial support for families.”

Together with its two partners from the field of social insurance, the German Pension Insurance Association (DRV) and the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), the Federal Employment Agency (BA) is taking another major step forward in the cloud-based transformation of public administration.

Poor economic growth hampers the labour market

More than 1.1 million persons with disabilities are currently in gainful employment in Germany. Accessing the labour market is often more difficult for people in this category than it is for people without disabilities, however.

The Board of Directors today approved the budget of the Federal Employment Agency (BA) for 2025, which is made up of employers’ and employees’ contributions to unemployment insurance.

The reformed Skilled Immigration Act took effect a year ago: initial figures show that it has had a positive impact.

The gap between registered applicants and vacancies has become smaller

Very few signs of an autumn upturn

Under the motto "Inclusion works", the Inclusion Award for Business is honours four companies from Bavaria, Lower Saxony, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia for their exemplary training and employment of people with disabilities.

“Unemployment and underemployment fell in September, but by much less than usual this month. The autumn recovery in the labour market is therefore off to a slow start this year,” Andrea Nahles, CEO of the Federal Employment Agency of Germany (BA), said today at the monthly press conference in Nuremberg.

In Germany, the number of employees aged between 55 and the normal pension age limit who are subject to social security contributions has increased significantly for more than ten years. Their number peaked in December 2023 and has almost tripled since December 2000.

Despite the slowing economy, the trade industries are still suffering from a significant shortage of skilled workers.

Register modernisation is a key milestone on the road to a modern, digital state. The goal of the project is to ensure that citizens only have to submit their data and supporting documents once when applying for administrative services, implementing the “once only principle”.

The BA is able to support employees who have lost their jobs with finding a new job so that they don’t have to experience unemployment. The sooner people tell their local federal employment agency that their job is coming to an end, the better. Those who make sure that they register as a jobseeker in good time can also avoid financial disadvantages caused by a suspension of benefits.

lacklustre period continues through the summer holiday season

Pupils from lower secondary schools face particular challenges in securing an apprenticeship position. They have to compete with school leavers who have higher-regarded school leaving certificates.  But it isn’t too late: young people seeking an apprenticeship position can still find one.

unemployment increases more strongly than usual for the time of year

Secure digital identification for the services of the  Federal Employment Agency and Family Benefits Offices

• The median wage increased to 3,796 euros per month in 2023
• The gender pay gap is €367, which is almost the same level as in the previous year
• Highest wages in Hamburg, lowest in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

The Federal Employment Agency has published its annual report on the labour market situation regarding persons registered as having a severe disability.

From now on, families no longer need to take the initiative and apply for Child Benefit themselves after the birth of their child.

The Administrative Board of the Federal Employment Agency (BA) has elected Christina Ramb as its new Chair with effect from 1st July 2024. Christina is a member of the Executive Board of the Confederation of German Employers’ Associations (BDA).

Lacklustre development continues

In the coming year, the 400 Jobcenters in Germany are facing major challenges: the lacklustre economic performance is causing unemployment to rise. People who are long-term unemployed are currently finding it particularly difficult to find a new job. In addition to this are the existing challenges in supporting refugees with their language learning, further training and integration into work.

In the course of its digital transformation, the Federal Employment Agency (BA) is harnessing the potential provided by AI and automated processes. In this way, it is relieving its staff of routine tasks.

•Number of bottleneck occupations falls slightly from 200 to 183 occupations 
•Shortages in roughly one in seven skilled occupations 
•Half of registered job vacancies are in bottleneck occupations 
•Only one in four unemployed skilled workers is seeking a job in a bottleneck occupation

A genuine improvement is yet to occur

Go and vote – for democracy, diversity and tolerance 

The Federal Employment Agency (BA) has digitised key steps in the approval process for admission to the labour market. This benefits both employers and foreign employees and skilled workers. The digital exchange of data between the public authorities involved should help to reduce bureaucracy.

From 27th May to 29th May, the BA is organising its Digital Action Days for the second time as part of its Job Turbo initiative, with the goal of bringing job-seeking refugees and businesses together. Refugees can meet with different employers online and learn about opportunities for entry-level, internship and qualification roles in person in just one hour.

More and more foreign nationals are completing an apprenticeship in Germany. The share of apprentices subject to social insurance contributions from countries other than Germany has been growing steadily for several years. While 6.3 percent of apprentices were foreign nationals in October 2013, 10 years later, in October 2023, this figure had risen to 13.2 per cent. 

Health care facilities in Germany have been suffering from a shortage of qualified nurses for years. Among all occupational groups with a staff shortage, qualified nurses are at first place. To counter this shortage, it is worth taking a look at who is entering this profession in Germany.

Every year, government ministries, public authorities, businesses and trade unions join forces to promote vocational training in Germany with the “Summer of Vocational Training”.

Spring upturn remains subdued

How can girls, on the one hand, be encouraged to take up the technical occupations which also support the completion of the energy transition? And on the other hand, how can boys be convinced to work in fields traditionally dominated by women – such as nursery schools or care?  On 25th April, Girls’ Day and Boys’ Day is taking place throughout Germany. The day enables girls all over Germany to gain an insight into male-dominated occupations. For boys the reverse applies.

•  Number of cuts in benefits increased last year

•  84.5 per cent of cuts in benefits were due to the failure to attend appointments 

•  Approximately 97 per cent of those entitled to benefits remain unaffected by cuts in benefits

A subdued start to the spring revival

On 1st April 2024, the new provisions of the Act to Strengthen Vocational Training and Continuing Education (AWBG) take effect. In addition to reforming the funding for continuing education for employees and the introduction of a training allowance, the vocational training guarantee is also a key topic.

On 1st April 2024, the new provisions of the Act to Strengthen Vocational Training and Continuing Education take effect. A new benefit for the area of employee qualification is launched: Qualifizierungsgeld, aka the Skills Development Benefit.

 International Women’s Day on 8th March

On Monday, “Vocational Training Week” gets underway in Germany. In a variety of campaigns, federal employment agencies, Jobcenters, careers advice centres for young people as well as their partners will drum up support for in-company vocational training and provide information about the opportunities it offers to both young people and businesses.

The labour market in February 2024 – robust, despite signs of continued economic weakness

The second stage of the new Skilled Immigration Act enters into effect on 1st March. One component is known as the “short-term quota-based employment”, which supplements the Skilled Immigration Act. This enables employers to hire foreign workers at short notice during busy periods.

The second stage of the new “Skilled Immigration Act” enters into effect on 1st March. In the future, experienced foreign skilled workers will be able to take up employment more easily.

The year starts in the normal way with rising unemployment

From 30th January until 1st February, as part of the Job Turbo initiative, the BA is holding Digital Action Days with the goal of bringing job-seeking refugees together with businesses throughout Germany that are currently recruiting. Refugees who have completed their integration course will have the opportunity to meet with different employers online and learn about the available employment and training opportunities. 

•    Number of lawsuits fell again in 2023; slight increase in appeals
•    Appeals rate in Jobcenters operated as joint institutions approximately 1.7 percent
 

German department store chain Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof today filed to reopen insolvency proceedings at the District Court in Essen.

Weak economic growth affects labour market development

Seasonal rise in unemployment