Germany’s unemployment figures experienced an increase in August 2025, rising by 153,000 compared to the same month the previous year. The Federal Employment Agency (BA) reported a total of 3.025 million individuals registered as actively seeking work. This represents an increase of 46,000 from July 2025. However, when adjusted for seasonal effects, unemployment decreased by 9,000 month-over-month. Consequently, the unemployment rate climbed to 6.4 percent, a 0.1 percentage point increase.
Andrea Nahles, Head of the Federal Employment Agency, explained that the August increase was anticipated due to the summer break impacting employment patterns. She acknowledged the continued influence of recent economic stagnation on the labor market, while also noting initial indications of stabilization.
Underemployment – encompassing factors beyond registered unemployment such as reduced work hours and short-term incapacity – has been declining for three consecutive months, reaching 3.634 million in August. This figure represents an increase of only 25,000 year-over-year.
The number of reported job vacancies at the BA stood at 631,000 in August, 68,000 fewer than in the same month last year. The BA-X index, a gauge of personnel demand which incorporates both existing vacancies and new postings, remained unchanged at 98 points in August 2025, but remains eight points lower than the previous year.
As of August 2025, approximately 1.019 million individuals were receiving unemployment benefits, an increase of 99,000 year-over-year. The number of citizens eligible for basic income support totaled 3.901 million, a decrease of 88,000 compared to August 2024. This translates to 7.1 percent of the working-age population requiring assistance.
Registration for vocational training programs has seen an increase, with 430,000 applicants reported since October 2024, 12,000 more than the previous year. As of August, 98,000 applicants remained without a placement. The total number of registered training positions currently stands at 477,000, a decrease of 25,000 year-over-year. There were 129,000 unfilled training positions available in August.
