A significant decrease has been observed in the number of unemployed individuals directly placed into jobs by the Federal Employment Agency (BA) over the past year. According to figures obtained by “Bild” newspaper from the Federal Ministry of Labor, direct placement accounted for only 4.9 percent of transitions from unemployment benefits (including citizen’s allowance) to regular employment in 2024. This marks a considerable decline from 13.2 percent recorded in 2015.
Overall, approximately 6.7 million individuals exited unemployment benefit programs in 2024. Of those, 30.3 percent secured employment, while 27.7 percent found positions within the primary labor market. The data originates from a response to a request from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Alongside the decline in direct placements, the number of employment mediators has also diminished. In 2024, 13,942 full-time positions were dedicated to this role, compared to 19,593 in 2015. Consequently, the average number of successful direct placements per employment mediator decreased from approximately 15 to roughly six per year within the same timeframe.
Despite this reduction in direct placement mediation, the total number of full-time positions within the Federal Employment Agency has risen to 101,000, up from 96,300 in 2015. Personnel costs have also increased from €3.9 billion to €5.58 billion annually. The Federal Employment Agency notes that costs associated with Job Centre employees are not included in this figure.
A spokesperson for the BA stated in response to inquiries from “Bild”: “Our working methods have significantly changed in recent years due to developments in the labor market”. They emphasized that placement rates represent “only a small aspect” of the agency’s “diverse support services”.
