Demand for new labor continues to be low in Germany in the third quarter

In Germany, over one million job openings went unfilled during the third quarter, highlighting ongoing weakness in the countrys labour market, Europes largest economy, according to data released on Thursday.

The total number of vacancies decreased by approximately 2%, or 24,700 positions, falling to 1.03 million nationwide compared to the previous quarter, the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) reported. Compared with the same period in 2024, the number of unoccupied roles fell by 19%, or 246,100 positions, based on an IAB survey of labour market conditions.

"The labour market continues to struggle, showing little improvement and remaining at a subdued level," commented IAB analyst Alexander Kubis.

The IAB also found that for every 100 vacancies posted by companies, 288 individuals were registered as unemployedan increase of 68 from the same quarter last year and 11 higher than in Q2 2025.

Approximately 80% of the openings in the third quarter required immediate hiring, putting the vacancy ratewhich measures the share of positions needing prompt fillingat 2.3%. "This is nearly half the 4.5% peak recorded in the fourth quarter of 2022, reflecting a softer labour market," Kubis added.

The findings were based on a survey of 8,591 employers spanning all sectors.

Author: Chloe Ramirez