Unemployment in Germany stays above three million in August 2026

Germany's registered unemployed population stayed above the three‑million mark in August 2026, according to figures released by the Federal Employment Agency. The total rose by 54,000 from July to 3.061 million and was 36,000 higher than in August 2025; the unemployment rate climbed by 0.1 percentage point to 6.5 percent.

Weak demand and limited hiring

"Even in August, outside the usual seasonal movements, there is little dynamism in the German labour market," said Andrea Nahles, chair of the board of the Federal Employment Agency. The agency based the current statistics on data compiled up to 13 August 2026.

The broader underemployment indicator, which also counts labour‑market policy measures and short‑term incapacity to work, offered a wider view of labour market conditions. Seasonally adjusted underemployment fell by 3,000 from the previous month to 3.674 million in August — an increase of 33,000 on the year.

Vacancy figures remain subdued: the agency recorded 656,000 open positions in August, up 3,000 on July and 25,000 higher than a year earlier. Payroll employment subject to social insurance rose by 1,000 seasonally adjusted between May and June, but was down 73,000 year‑on‑year. Short‑time work for economic reasons also remains at a somewhat elevated level.

The number of people receiving unemployment benefits was estimated at 1.133 million in August, 109,000 more than a year before — a rise experts attribute to a difficult economic environment and structural change in the economy. By contrast, recipients of basic social assistance (Bürgergeld) fell by 116,000 year‑on‑year to 3.754 million at the end of June; the agency says this decline also reflects successful integration of refugees into the German labour market.

The agency stressed that not all Bürgergeld recipients are out of work: some are already employed and supplement their incomes with the benefit to reach a subsistence level.

Photo: press material from the event