The number of people in work reached an all-time high.
(Photo: dpa)
Nuremberg, Berlin The number of unemployed in Germany rose to 2.454 million in December 2022 due to seasonal factors. That was 20,000 more than in November and 124,000 more than a year ago, the Federal Employment Agency announced on Tuesday in Nuremberg. The unemployment rate increased by 0.1 percentage points to 5.4 percent compared to the previous month.
“Unemployment increased in December, as is usual this month, with the start of the winter break,” said BA boss Andrea Nahles. However, adjusted for seasonal influences, the number of unemployed fell by 13,000.
The BA drew a positive balance for the past year. Nahles explained that the consequences of the Russian war against Ukraine, with price increases, uncertainties and refugee migration, certainly left their mark on the labor market. However, given the extent of the burden, these were moderate. Despite the war in Ukraine, unemployment and underemployment have fallen significantly.
On average for the year, the BA recorded a decrease in the number of unemployed compared to the previous year by 195,000 to 2.418 million. The number of short-time workers is expected to have fallen to around 430,000 in 2022, after around 1.85 million in 2021.
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However, the increase was below the November average of the three pre-crisis years 2017 to 2019 of 93,000. “The number of people in employment reached a new historic high in November as well, after new highs had already been recorded in September and October,” the statisticians explained. Compared to November 2021, the number of employed persons residing in Germany rose by 1.0 percent or 472,000, a similar figure as in the previous month.
Employment reaches new record high
Meanwhile, the number of people in employment in Germany reached a record high in November. With around 45.9 million, more people were in employment than ever before, as the Federal Statistical Office announced on Tuesday. That was 78,000 or 0.2 percent more than in the previous month.
According to an initial estimate by the Federal Statistical Office, the number of people in employment rose to a record level on average last year – despite the energy crisis, fears of a recession and high inflation.
It increased by an average of 589,000 or 1.3 percent to around 45.6 million, because service providers such as trade and shops in particular are employing more people again after the corona pandemic has subsided. “That was more than ever since German unification in 1990,” as the Federal Statistical Office announced on Monday. The previous high from 2019 of 45.3 million employed persons was thus exceeded by around 292,000.
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In 2020, the corona crisis ended the 14-year increase in the number of people in employment and led to a decline of 362,000, followed by a slight increase of 65,000 in 2021. Experts assume, however, that the peak in employment is likely to be reached soon, as the baby boomers (“baby boomers”) are reaching retirement age.
Unemployment figures and employment can develop independently of each other because they refer to different variables. For example, higher labor force participation among women can lead to an increase in the labor force without unemployment falling – because these women may not have previously registered as unemployed.
More: Unemployment cost almost 68 billion euros in 2021