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Germany, autumn 2026: hiring demand stays weak, but skills shortages persist in specific sectors
Official figures from the Federal Employment Agency for October 2026 show 654,000 registered vacancies and weak overall demand for labour. A business survey by the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) of around 23,500 firms finds more companies planning to cut staff than to hire, while shortages remain severe in sectors such as civil engineering and road freight.
Official October figures
According to the Federal Employment Agency (BA), published on 30 October 2026, registered unemployment fell by 40,000 to 2,955,000 in October, and the unemployment rate dropped by 0.1 percentage points to 6.3%. Unemployment was 44,000 higher than a year earlier. The BA counted 654,000 registered vacancies, 31,000 more than in October 2025, but described demand for labour as still weak. Between 1 and 26 October, firms notified cyclical short-time work for 22,000 people.
What firms are planning
The DIHK autumn survey analysed responses from around 23,500 companies. 24% plan to reduce staff and only 11% plan to add jobs. The DIHK expects growth of 1% in both 2026 and 2027. Labour costs are named as a business risk by 56% of companies. The survey results were reported by the news agency dpa-AFX on 5 November 2026; the DIHK is a business organisation, and its survey is not official statistics.
Where shortages remain
Overall, 36% of firms see the availability of skilled staff as a business risk, below the long-term average of 45%. But some sectors still report large gaps: 70% of firms in civil engineering and 61% in road freight transport name skills shortages as a risk. For employers in these sectors, international recruitment can remain relevant even in a weak overall market.
What this means for international hiring
These releases describe the labour market; they do not announce any change to immigration or work-permit rules. Employers who hire staff from abroad must still follow the existing procedures, including residence and work permits, recognition of qualifications where required, and German pay and working-time rules. Planning should be based on the specific role and sector rather than on headline figures.
What is still unclear
It is unclear whether hiring plans will recover in 2027 and how strongly the situation differs between regions. The DIHK figures come from a survey of firms and may not match official statistics. The publication date of the DIHK survey (5 November 2026) is taken from a dpa-AFX news report, not from the DIHK page itself.
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