In September 2026, approximately 45.60 million residents in Germany were employed, according to preliminary calculations released by the Federal Statistical Office, known as Destatis. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the total number of employed persons remained virtually unchanged compared with the preceding month, registering a slight decline of 4,000 individuals, or 0.0%. This followed a period from January through August 2026 during which the monthly figures had decreased by an average of 19,000 persons relative to each preceding month.
Without seasonal adjustment, the employment count rose by 172,000 persons, or 0.4%, in September 2026 compared with August 2026, coinciding with the beginning of the autumn pickup in labor activity. This seasonal increase matched the average September gains recorded across the years 2023 through 2025, which also stood at an average of 170,000 individuals.
When compared against the same month of the previous year, total employment fell by 211,000 persons, or 0.5%, in September 2026. This downward movement continues a year-on-year labor market trend visible since January 2025. Across the earlier months of 2026, the annual change rate stood at -0.4% from January through April, before shifting to -0.5% between May and August.
For the third quarter of 2026, preliminary calculations indicate an average of roughly 45.67 million persons employed at workplaces located within Germany, based on the domestic concept. Compared with the preceding quarter, this metric represents a seasonally adjusted decrease of 57,000 persons, or 0.1%. Detailed findings concerning the third quarter of 2026 are scheduled for publication on November 18, 2026.
Turning to unemployment data derived from the labor force survey, the number of unemployed individuals stood at 1.79 million in September 2026. This reflected a decrease of 6,000 persons, or 0.3%, compared with September 2025. The corresponding unemployment rate was 4.1%, sitting slightly above the 4.0% level recorded in September of the previous year.
Adjusted for seasonal and irregular effects, the number of unemployed persons reached 1.77 million in September 2026, marking an increase of 7,000 persons, or 0.4%, compared with August 2026. The seasonally and irregularly adjusted unemployment rate remained stable at 4.1% relative to the previous month.
In addition to the primary calculations for September 2026, regular revisions to the national accounts led to recalculations for the provisional monthly and quarterly employment figures covering January through August 2026. These updates incorporated all newly available statistical sources, resulting in absolute level adjustments while leaving the previously published year-on-year change rates unchanged.
