The number of unemployed in Germany fell by 62,000 to 2.486 million in September compared to the previous month. The unemployment rate fell by 0.2 percentage points to 5.4 percent, the Federal Employment Agency announced on Friday in Nuremberg. Compared to September last year, the number of unemployed increased by 21,000.

The number of unemployed in Germany fell by 62,000 to 2.486 million in September compared to the previous month. As the Federal Employment Agency (BA) announced on Friday in Nuremberg, the unemployment rate improved by 0.2 percentage points to 5.4 percent. Compared to September last year, the number of unemployed increased by 21,000.

The chairwoman of the board of the federal agency, Andrea Nahles, said in Nuremberg: “Despite rising prices and concerns about energy shortages, the labor market remains stable overall. Unemployment and underemployment fell at the start of the autumn recovery. However, the demand for labor is falling slightly at a very high level.”

Seasonally adjusted, the number of unemployed increased by 14,000 as of the September 12 survey date. “The increases are also related to the registration of unemployed Ukrainian refugees. Without people with Ukrainian nationality, the development would have been much better,” said the BA.

Experts had expected stable development despite the economic downturn and point to the high demand for labor in Germany. The leading German research institutes expect that companies will try to keep their employees despite the expected recession.

However, according to the BA, more companies have recently asked about the framework conditions for short-time work. In addition, fewer vacancies are being reported: the previously high demand for workers fell significantly in September. The labor market barometer of the Nuremberg Institute for Labor Market and Occupational Research fell to its lowest level since 2020 in September.