Arbeitsmarkt: Zahl der Arbeitslosen sinkt unter drei Millionen

In September, the number of unemployed people in Germany fell to below three million, reaching 2,994,000. This represents a decrease of 67,000 people compared to August, but an increase of 40,000 compared to September 2025, according to the Federal Employment Agency in Nuremberg. The unemployment rate dropped by 0.1 percentage points to 6.4%.

However, it is 0.1 percentage point higher than in September 2025. "September marks the beginning of the fall revival on the labor market," said Andrea Nahles, CEO of the Federal Employment Agency. "However, the launch is sluggish," she added. "Economic improvement is not yet felt on the labor market." The demand for labor forces remains weak in Germany, with 660,000 vacancies reported by the Federal Employment Agency in September, 30,000 more than a year ago.

Underemployment, which includes instruments of labor market policy and short-term disability, fell by 7,000 seasonally adjusted in September, remaining 3,615,000, 25,000 more than the previous year. In September, 1,082,000 people received unemployment benefits from the unemployment insurance fund, 85,000 more than a year ago. The number of labor-capable recipients of basic income benefits was 3,704,000 in September, 145,000 fewer than the previous year.

The highest unemployment rates remain in the federal state of Bremen at 11.2%, followed by Berlin at 10.4%. The lowest unemployment rates are still in the southern federal states of Bavaria (4.2%) and Baden-Württemberg (4.7%), with the two eastern German states of Thuringia and Brandenburg also below the national average at 6.3% each.