New figures from Germany Number of unemployed back below three million
The number of unemployed people in Germany fell by 58,000 to 2.95 million in May compared to the previous month, bringing it back below the three million mark.
29.05.2026, 13:40
29.05.2026, 13:54
SDA
However, the number of unemployed is 31,000 higher than in May 2025, as reported by the Federal Employment Agency (BA) in Nuremberg in its May statistics. The unemployment rate in May was 6.3 percent, 0.1 percentage points lower than in April but 0.1 points higher than in May 2025. For the May statistics, the Federal Employment Agency used data that was available up to the 12th of the month.
No trend reversal
"Despite a fall in unemployment, the spring recovery has not really taken off this year," said BA Chairwoman Andrea Nahles at the monthly press conference in Nuremberg today. The decline was possibly due more to a weak April than a strong May. A turnaround towards a positive development on the labor market is still not in sight.
Although unemployment is rising year-on-year, the number of vacancies has also increased. In May, 643,000 job vacancies were registered with the Federal Employment Agency. That is 8,000 more than a year ago. The demand for labour has stabilized at a relatively low level.
Number of recipients of citizens' benefits continues to fall
In May, 1.073 million people received unemployment benefit. That is 113,000 more people than a year ago. In contrast, the number of people entitled to basic income support for those capable of earning, known as citizen's allowance, is falling. Extrapolated, this amounted to 3.83 million people in May, 103,000 fewer than a year ago. Citizens' benefits are also paid to people who work if their income is not sufficient to cover the minimum subsistence level.
On the training market, 199,000 young people are still unplaced - although the employment agencies were notified of 382,000 training places, slightly more than a year earlier. Many apprenticeships cannot be filled because there are not enough suitable applicants available in the respective region.
