Slashed Job Openings: Germany's Job Market Takes a Dive, Down by 25% in a Year
Job openings in Germany experience a significant decrease by 25% over the course of a year
Germany's job market is taking a tumble, with a whopping 25% decrease in job vacancies within a single year. In the crack of dawn of 2025, a staggering 1.18 million jobs were left unfilled, according to the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) in Nuremberg. That's a whopping 226,000 less than the last quarter of 2024 and a colossal 390,000 fewer than the first quarter of 2024.
The Federal Employment Agency also chimes in with their own numbers, albeit a smaller one. They count only those vacancies reported to the employment agencies, making their total roughly half of the IAB's figure. The IAB's survey, however, includes every vacant position, regardless of whether it's been reported or not. The study is based on a poll of about 10,000 companies.
"The drastic drop in job openings dims the specter of labor shortages in the job market," said IAB researcher Alexander Kubis. Across the nation, on average, there were 251 job seekers for every 100 job openings advertised. That's a harrowing increase of 74 job seekers compared to the previous year's quarter.
Couple this with the fact that the tech sector in Germany is on a roll, growing an impressive 22.5% in 2024, high-demand skills like Python, Java, and cybersecurity are in hot demand, making the job market characteristicistically competitive for tech professionals.
It's important to note that the total number of employed persons in Germany has seen a minor downslide in early 2025, with 45,849 thousand employed in March 2025, as compared to a peak of approximately 45,921 thousand in May 2024.
The job market in Germany may be experiencing a dip, but it's essential to keep an eye on the tech sector and the changing demands of the economy. With the right skills, there's still ample opportunity for everyone seeking employment in this dynamic job market.
[Sources: ntv.de, dpa]
The job market tends to ebb and flow, but over the last year, it has exhibited some changes in Germany. As of April 2025, the job vacancy rate came in at 646.07 thousand, an increase from the previous month, signaling a constant demand for labor.
From a historical perspective, the number of employed persons in Germany has generally remained high, with a peak of approximately 45,921 thousand in May 2024. While there has been a slight decrease in the total number of employed persons in early 2025, with 45,849 thousand employed in March 2025, the employment landscape remains robust.
The demand for skilled workers, particularly in tech and cybersecurity, continue to shape the job market's dynamics. This focus on technology and innovation is expected to persist, presenting opportunities for those armed with the appropriate skills.
With the European Union vacancy rate clocking in at 2.3% in Q4 2024, a stable or rising number of job vacancies suggests a bustling but competitive job market in Germany.
[Enrichment Data Sources: 1. ntv.de, dpa; 2. Eurostat; 3. Statistics Germany; 4. Federal Employment Agency; 5. Statista]
- In an attempt to address the continuous demand for skilled workers, local community groups are now partnering with businesses to provide training programs in high-demand areas such as Python, Java, and cybersecurity, to create a workforce equipped to meet the evolving job market needs.
- To finance these training programs and mitigate the impact of slashed job openings, various employment policies are being proposed to attract investments and stimulate economic growth, ultimately aiming to create more job opportunities for the underemployed and unemployed population in Germany.
