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In 2026, there were 628,629 open job positions in Germany. Since the beginning of the timeline in 2011, the number of job vacancies increased until 2018 and peaked in 2022. In 2022, there were almost double the number of positions compared to 2011. 

Employment in Germany

Out of all G7 countries, Germany had the second lowest unemployment rate, bested only by Japan. Despite this, the continued high number of open job positions suggests that Germany’s workforce is too small or there are not enough people with certain skills that the labor market requires. A potential solution to this problem is migration, especially if the birth rate continues to decrease, because it would increase the size of the labor force and allow employers to find people with the necessary skill set. This would allow people of working age and the right skills to immediately join the workforce. According to the German Institute of Economics, if Germany faces a scenario of high migration, there will be a total of 39.1 million academics and professionally qualified people who could work by 2040. This is, however, still a decrease from 2025, when there are estimated to be almost 43 million qualified people in the workforce. This decrease, despite predicted high migration, suggests that there will be an increase in demand for workers in the future.

Which sectors are be affected the most?

Although it is clear that Germany is and will continue to face a shortage of skilled workers, the question remains, which industries will suffer the most? Different data gives slightly different answers to this question, but several professions always seem to have a shortage of labor. Among these were social work, care for the elderly, and the building of electronics. Though the availability of jobs and demand for workers is a good position for employees to be in, it is a stressful situation for companies. According to a survey conducted in 2024, the third largest business risk that companies saw for themselves in the coming months was a skilled workers shortage. Ultimately, companies will have to find a solution to this shortage in order to ensure the continued success of their business.