Overview

• Germany recorded 2.919 million unemployed in May 2025, a slight drop of 12 000 from April but 197 000 more than May 2024, pushing the jobless rate to 6.2 percent.
• The Bundesagentur für Arbeit logged 634 000 open positions in May, 67 000 fewer than a year earlier as many companies delay or cancel new hires due to weak economic sentiment.
• Eastern states continue to struggle most: Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern reported the highest regional unemployment rates at 7.9 percent and 7.8 percent respectively.
• Long-term unemployment climbed across several regions, notably rising by 1 400 in Thuringia where nearly one in three jobseekers has been without work for over a year.
• Despite rising joblessness, severe skills shortages persist in sectors such as healthcare, construction and technology, hampering efforts to fill vacancies.