In 2023, there was an estimated 48.4 million people in the German potential labor force. This shows a slight increase from the year before.
The term potential labor force describes the total of employed, unemployed and hidden assets, according to the Institute for the Job Market and Occupational Research (Research Institute of the Federal Labor Office). Hidden assets, according to the source, stand for unemployed people, those looking for work but have not registered as unemployed with an employment agency or those who would work if there were more jobs offered. The hidden assets are estimated using complex calculations by the Institute for Labor Market and Occupational Research. The potential labor force is the maximum number of all employable persons in Germany.
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Bundesagentur für Arbeit. (August 26, 2023). Development of potential labor force in Germany from 2000 to 2023 (in millions) [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved July 15, 2026, from /statistics/1340369/potential-workforce-germany/
Bundesagentur für Arbeit. "Development of potential labor force in Germany from 2000 to 2023 (in millions)." Chart. August 26, 2023. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed July 15, 2026. /statistics/1340369/potential-workforce-germany/
Bundesagentur für Arbeit. (2023). Development of potential labor force in Germany from 2000 to 2023 (in millions). ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 15, 2026. /statistics/1340369/potential-workforce-germany/
Bundesagentur für Arbeit. "Development of Potential Labor Force in Germany from 2000 to 2023 (in Millions)." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 26 Aug 2023, /statistics/1340369/potential-workforce-germany/
Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Development of potential labor force in Germany from 2000 to 2023 (in millions) ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/1340369/potential-workforce-germany/ (last visited July 15, 2026)
Development of potential labor force in Germany from 2000 to 2023 (in millions) [Graph], Bundesagentur für Arbeit, August 26, 2023. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1340369/potential-workforce-germany/
