Overview

• Germany’s unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 6.2% in May, marking the first monthly decline since January but remaining higher than a year ago.
• Total jobseekers numbered 2.919 million in May, representing a slight drop from April yet exceeding May 2024 levels.
• Seasonal hiring in construction, hospitality and logistics drove the modest downward shift despite high energy costs and US trade policy pressures.
• Regional jobless rates diverged sharply, with Berlin and Bremen above the national average while Allgäu and Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen reported rates below 3%.
• Youth unemployment climbed nearly 23% year-on-year, and employers registered 1,296 new vacancies in May even as total openings fell from last year.