Germany registered unemployed, SGB III, unadjusted
Germany registered unemployed, SGB III, unadjusted stood at 1,181,981 Number in Sep 2026, according to Deutsche Bundesbank, Statistisches Bundesamt (Destatis) and Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit. It is one of the indicators in the Labour market (monthly) table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 2005 to Sep 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Labour market (monthly) table
| Indicator | 09-2026 | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment registered pursuant to section 16 Social Security Code III, Social Security Code III and Social Security Code II, Absolute value | 2,994,415 | 3,061,396 | 3,007,203 | 2,935,850 | 2,950,456 | 3,008,161 | 3,021,230 | 3,069,942 | 3,084,613 | 2,907,991 | |
| Unemployment registered pursuant to section 16 Social Security Code III, Social Security Code III, Absolute value | 1,181,981 | 1,223,333 | 1,196,673 | 1,140,093 | 1,144,685 | 1,175,732 | 1,195,101 | 1,227,744 | 1,226,989 | 1,104,358 |
Understanding germany registered unemployed, SGB III, unadjusted
Individuals receiving benefits strictly under Social Security Code III form the basis of this aggregate, which excludes those covered by the basic income support of Social Security Code II. The figure counts the absolute volume of people registered at local agencies who are actively seeking work of at least a minimum weekly duration and are immediately available for placement. By isolating the insurance-based component, this series differs from the headline registered jobless totals that blend both insurance and welfare recipients. It serves as a narrow gauge of those who recently lost contributory employment.
Since these raw figures carry the full weight of seasonal hiring and firing cycles, period-on-period comparisons often mislead analysts. Year-on-year evaluations provide the reliable framework for spotting genuine structural shifts in the volume of claims. Revisions are generally rare because administrative counts reflect finalised benefit approvals rather than sample-based estimates, though legislative changes to the eligibility criteria occasionally introduce series breaks. Users must remember that this absolute number cannot be directly compared across different national systems, as the strict administrative criteria of who counts as registered vary heavily by jurisdiction.
Frequently asked questions
- Does this series include individuals receiving basic welfare under Social Security Code II?
- No, it isolates only those receiving insurance-based benefits under Social Security Code III.
- Are participants in active labour market policies counted here?
- Persons engaged in full-time training or subsidised employment schemes are typically excluded from the registered unemployed tally.
- How does this differ from the ILO concept of unemployment?
- This relies on administrative agency registration and specific benefit criteria, whereas the ILO concept uses survey responses about job search activity regardless of benefit status.