Germany recruitment difficulties
Germany recruitment difficulties showing the incidence, reasons and duration of hiring challenges.
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| Indicator | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of hires with difficulties1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Germany2 | 30.5 | 36.3 | 41.1 | 44.2 | 37 | 34 | 44 | 44.2 | 42.7 | 36 | 35.8 | 33.9 | 34.4 | 31.7 | 31 | 29.1 | |
| West Germany | 30.6 | 36.8 | 41.9 | 45.4 | 36.2 | 33.7 | 43.2 | 43.7 | 42 | 34.8 | 35.2 | 33.4 | 33 | 31.7 | 32 | 28 | |
| East Germany | 30 | 34.3 | 37.8 | 39.3 | 40.7 | 35.4 | 47.2 | 46.3 | 45 | 41 | 38 | 35.8 | 40.1 | 31.8 | 26.9 | 33.3 | |
| Reasons for the difficulties4 | |||||||||||||||||
| Insufficient qualifications: Germany2 | 18.7 | 21.6 | 24.6 | 23.2 | 19.9 | 18.9 | 24.4 | 23.9 | 23 | 18.3 | 20 | 18.1 | 20.7 | 17.5 | 18.5 | 16.6 | |
| Insufficient qualifications: West Germany | 19.1 | 21.9 | 25.2 | 23.8 | 19.2 | 19.4 | 22.5 | 23.9 | 22.8 | 17.5 | 20 | 17.7 | 20.2 | 17.4 | 19 | 17 | |
| Insufficient qualifications: East Germany | 16.7 | 20.2 | 22.1 | 20.7 | 23.3 | 16.7 | 31.7 | 24 | 23.9 | 21.8 | 20.2 | 19.5 | 22.7 | 18 | 16.5 | 15.2 | |
| Excessive wage demands: Germany2 | 14 | 14.6 | 18.6 | 17 | 15.3 | 13.3 | 15.5 | 15.8 | 15.3 | 11.7 | 13.9 | 8.6 | 10.9 | 10.9 | 9.9 | 9.9 | |
| Excessive wage demands: West Germany | 14 | 15 | 19.6 | 18.1 | 15.2 | 13.6 | 14.5 | 15.6 | 15.1 | 11.4 | 13.6 | 7.6 | 9.9 | 11.3 | 10.6 | 10.2 | |
| Excessive wage demands: East Germany | 14 | 12.9 | 14.4 | 12.8 | 15.9 | 11.8 | 19.4 | 16.5 | 16.4 | 12.9 | 14.7 | 13.1 | 15.1 | 9.4 | 7.2 | 9.1 | |
| Working-condition mismatch: Germany2 | 12.5 | 14.5 | 15.3 | 14.1 | 12 | 10.1 | 12.6 | 15.2 | 14.7 | 12.3 | 15.4 | 10.7 | 11.3 | 9.5 | 11.5 | 9.5 | |
| Working-condition mismatch: West Germany | 12.1 | 14.5 | 15.5 | 14.3 | 11.5 | 9.6 | 12 | 14.1 | 13.8 | 11.3 | 14.8 | 10.2 | 9.5 | 8.6 | 11.3 | 8.9 | |
| Working-condition mismatch: East Germany | 14.2 | 14.6 | 14.3 | 13.4 | 14.3 | 12.5 | 14.9 | 19.7 | 17.8 | 16.2 | 17.9 | 12.8 | 18.7 | 12.7 | 12.5 | 11.5 | |
| Too few applicants: Germany2 | 18.6 | 25.3 | 31.4 | 35.8 | 28.4 | 22.4 | 31.2 | 32.8 | 31.3 | 23.9 | 22.8 | 21.9 | 22.2 | 21.3 | 17.8 | 14.3 | |
| Too few applicants: West Germany | 18.2 | 25.8 | 32.1 | 36.7 | 27.8 | 21.7 | 31.1 | 32.5 | 30.6 | 23.3 | 22.3 | 21.7 | 20.8 | 21.2 | 18 | 12.6 | |
| Too few applicants: East Germany | 20.4 | 22.8 | 28.5 | 31.9 | 31 | 25.3 | 31.7 | 34.2 | 34.1 | 26.5 | 25 | 23 | 28.2 | 21.7 | 16.8 | 20.3 | |
| Recruitment duration3 | |||||||||||||||||
| Planned duration: Germany2 | 61.3 | 66.1 | 66.6 | 63.1 | 60.4 | 56.9 | 59.8 | 60 | 55.3 | 58.6 | 57.9 | 52.8 | 53.8 | 57.2 | 53.3 | 48.5 | |
| Planned duration: West Germany | 61 | 65.9 | 66.3 | 63.6 | 60.5 | 55.7 | 59.6 | 60.3 | 55.1 | 57.9 | 57.6 | 50.7 | 51.5 | 56.9 | 53.7 | 49.4 | |
| Planned duration: East Germany | 62.7 | 67 | 67.4 | 61.4 | 60.1 | 61.7 | 60.5 | 58.7 | 56.1 | 61.8 | 59.2 | 61.8 | 63.8 | 58.8 | 51.5 | 45.2 | |
| Actual duration: Germany2 | 86.1 | 94.8 | 95.6 | 96.7 | 87.1 | 82.5 | 92.3 | 91.1 | 82.2 | 82 | 84 | 75.2 | 76.8 | 83.7 | 76.8 | 70.4 | |
| Actual duration: West Germany | 86 | 94.5 | 96.4 | 96.7 | 86.7 | 81.6 | 91.3 | 91.8 | 82.5 | 80.4 | 83.8 | 73.1 | 74.7 | 83.4 | 78.3 | 72.6 | |
| Actual duration: East Germany | 86.5 | 95.8 | 92.1 | 96.7 | 88.9 | 86.4 | 95.9 | 88 | 81.3 | 89.3 | 84.9 | 84.4 | 86 | 85 | 70.9 | 63 | |
| Unplanned delay: Germany2 | 24.8 | 28.7 | 29 | 33.5 | 26.7 | 25.6 | 32.5 | 31 | 26.9 | 23.4 | 26.1 | 22.4 | 23 | 26.5 | 23.6 | 22 | |
| Unplanned delay: West Germany | 25.1 | 28.7 | 30.1 | 33.1 | 26.3 | 25.9 | 31.7 | 31.4 | 27.4 | 22.5 | 26.2 | 22.4 | 23.2 | 26.6 | 24.6 | 23.2 | |
| Unplanned delay: East Germany | 23.8 | 28.8 | 24.7 | 35.3 | 28.9 | 24.7 | 35.4 | 29.3 | 25.2 | 27.5 | 25.7 | 22.5 | 22.1 | 26.2 | 19.4 | 17.8 |
Latest reading
The series on this page is annual and runs from 2010 to 2025. Source: Institute for Employment Research (IAB) of the Federal Employment Agency.
About this data
Germany recruitment difficulties showing the incidence, reasons and duration of hiring challenges. Annual statistics measure the share of new hires with difficulties and track issues like insufficient qualifications, excessive wage demands, working-condition mismatches and too few applicants. The tables include the planned, actual and unplanned additional duration of the search for Germany, West and East Germany, published by the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) since 2010.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the latest figure for Germany recruitment difficulties?
- The latest reading is 30.5%, for 2025. That is −5.8 pp from 2024.
- Is Germany recruitment difficulties at a high or a low right now?
- The reading of 30.5% is the lowest since 2010.
- How far back does the Germany recruitment difficulties data go?
- The series on this page is annual and runs from 2010 to 2025. Source: Institute for Employment Research (IAB) of the Federal Employment Agency. Every series in the table can be charted over its full history and downloaded as CSV or Excel.
- What do the Germany recruitment difficulties statistics show?
- They measure the share of new hires that involved recruitment difficulties for employers, the primary reasons for these challenges, and the duration of the hiring process.
- Which reasons are given for Germany recruitment difficulties?
- Employers report difficulties due to insufficient qualifications, excessive wage demands, a mismatch in working conditions, or simply having too few applicants.
- How is the recruitment duration measured in Germany?
- The statistics track the planned search duration, the actual time taken to fill the post, and any unplanned delay in days.