Unemployment rates in Germany have seen a rise in January compared to December last year, and January 2023, according to preliminary government statistics. Germany’s Federal Employment Agency reported an increase in unemployment by 0.4%, equivalent to 6.1%. This is typical for January as unemployment seasonally rises. The figures are indicating a rise of 189,000 unemployed in comparison to January the previous year.

There has also been a drop in the number of job vacancies, suggesting that finding employment for those out of work has become more challenging. The Agency reported 699,000 vacancies this January which is 66,000 fewer than January 2023. Despite the current economic weakness, The annual rise in unemployment at the turn of the year is lower this year. Employment and demand for labour are also stable, meaning that the labour market is stable at the start of the year, stated Andrea Nahles, the agency’s chairwoman.

Difficulties still persist among young people entering the workforce when it comes to securing apprenticeships and trainee positions. Between October 2023 and January 2024, 64,000 more young people were seeking for such positions compared to the previous year.

This is in contrast to the 85,000 apprenticeship positions offered by companies, which is roughly 4,000 more than the previous year. The agency’s records show that 28,000 traineeship applicants and a further 18,000 who had been offered alternatives were still seeking training placements as of January 2024. Simultaneously, 18,000 training positions remained unfulfilled.