Unemployment in Germany tops 3.007 million in July

Unemployment in Germany exceeded 3.007 million people in July, according to figures published by the Federal Employment Agency based in Nuremberg on 31 July 2026. The agency said seasonality played a role but noted an ongoing weakening in the labour market.

The number of jobless rose by 71,000 from June to 3.007 million and is 28,000 higher than in July 2025. The unemployment rate climbed by 0.2 percentage points from the previous month to 6.4 percent.

"Unemployment and underemployment rose noticeably in July primarily for seasonal reasons. Overall, the labour market continues to show weak momentum that has been present in recent months," said Daniel Terzenbach, a member of the management board of the Federal Employment Agency.

Demand for workers remains subdued: the agency recorded 653,000 vacancies in July. That figure is 25,000 higher than at the same time last year, but the total supply of job openings is still relatively restrained.

Benefit recipients and training market

Estimates for July show 1.108 million people were receiving unemployment benefits, 107,000 more than a year earlier. At the same time, 3.775 million working-age people were eligible for the so-called Bürgergeld, a decrease of 121,000 compared with July 2025. Not all Bürgergeld recipients are unemployed; some supplement their earnings with wages to reach a subsistence level.

The vocational training market also shows shifts: agencies and job centres registered 418,000 applicants for apprenticeship places (4,000 more than in July 2025). By July, 126,000 applicants had reported that they had secured an apprenticeship place. Meanwhile, 437,000 apprenticeship positions were reported — 35,000 fewer than a year earlier.

Analysts and the agency say the combination of seasonal effects and a persistently soft demand for labour points to continued pressure on Germany’s labour market into the autumn.

Photo: press material from the event