Germany’s unemployment figures have risen in July 2025, according to data released Thursday by the Federal Employment Agency (BA). The number of registered unemployed individuals increased by 171,000 compared to the same month last year, reaching 2.979 million. Month-on-month, the figure climbed by 65,000.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage points, standing at 6.3 percent. Andrea Nahles, head of the BA, attributed the increase to the commencement of the summer break and a continued reluctance among employers to report new vacancies. “The creation of new positions is slow and socially insured employment is barely increasing” she stated.
Underemployment, encompassing unemployment, active labor market policy measures and short-term work limitations, decreased by a seasonally adjusted 10,000 to 3.609 million – still 31,000 more than the year prior.
The number of job openings registered with the BA totalled 628,000, a decrease of 75,000 compared to July 2024. The BA Job Index (BA-X), a key indicator of personnel demand in Germany, fell by one point in July 2025, reaching 98. This represents a ten-point decline compared to the same month last year.
During July, 991,000 individuals received unemployment benefits. The number of employable individuals requiring assistance under the Basic Security for Jobseekers (SGB II) totalled 3.877 million, indicating that 7.0 percent of the working-age population in Germany are in need of assistance.
Despite these challenges, the number of applicants for vocational training positions registered with employment agencies and job centers has risen to 414,000 since October 2024, a 12,000 increase over the previous year’s period. However, 140,000 of these applicants remain unplaced. The number of advertised vocational training positions has decreased to 466,000 – 26,000 fewer than in the prior year – leaving 182,000 positions still available.