According to the Federal Employment Agency, in October 2026, the number of unemployed individuals in Germany was 44,000 higher than it was a year earlier. However, compared to the previous month, the figure decreased by 40,000, reaching 2.955 million. When seasonally adjusted, the number of unemployed persons increased by 4,000 compared to the previous month, while the unemployment rate dropped by 0.1 percentage points to 6.3 percent.
Andrea Nahles, the CEO of the Federal Employment Agency (BA), stated in Nuremberg on Friday that the labor market still lacks sufficient economic conditions for improvement. She added that the decline in unemployment in October was comparatively weak.
The concept of “underemployment” provides a more comprehensive picture, as it includes unemployment along with labor market policy interventions and short-term incapacity to work. Seasonally adjusted for October, this figure fell by 9,000 from the prior month. At 3.592 million, it remained higher than the figure from a year ago by 28,000.
Demand for labor remains weak. In October, the BA reported 654,000 vacant positions, which is 31,000 more than in the previous year. The BA Job Index (BA-X)-which measures job demand in Germany by considering both stock and entry into reported positions-dropped by one point in October 2026. Furthermore, the BA-X was four points lower compared to the same month last year.
Based on the BA’s projections, 1.065 million people received unemployment benefits in October 2026, an increase of 88,000 compared to the previous year. The estimated number of eligible citizens for basic social security reached 3.659 million in October. This represents a decrease of 172,000 individuals compared to October 2025, meaning that 6.8 percent of the population of working age in Germany required social assistance.
