The number of unemployed people in Germany exceeded the 3 million mark in January. According to the Federal Employment Agency, 3.085 million people were registered as unemployed. In December 2025, the number of unemployed stood at 2.908 million. The unemployment rate thus rose by 0.4 points in one month to 6.6%. The last time the unemployment figure was higher was in February 2014, when it stood at around 3.138 million. Industry, in particular, was hit by economic difficulties.
Companies are holding back on new hires. And jobs are being cut in industry, which is particularly noticeable in Germany because industry accounts for a much larger share of economic output than in other Western countries.
