Job vacancies in German information and communication
Job vacancies in German information and communication stood at 35.5 thousands in Q2 2026, according to Institute for Employment Research (IAB), Eurostat and KfW Research / ifo Institute. It is one of the indicators in the Job vacancies and skilled labour shortage table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q4 2010 to Q2 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Job vacancies and skilled labour shortage table
| Indicator | Q2-2026 | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | Q1-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany total | 1,023.4 | 1,153.2 | 1,258.9 | 1,039.8 | 1,058.4 | 1,158.4 | 1,568.3 | 1,278.8 | 1,375.2 | 1,597.4 | |
| Information and communication | 35.5 | 43.4 | 43.3 | 36.6 | 40.2 | 54.4 | 63.3 | 48.7 | 52.9 | 67.3 | |
| Financial and insurance services | 26.5 | 22.2 | 28.3 | 23.4 | 24.2 | 23 | 34.7 | 27.6 | 30.1 | 31.4 |
Understanding job vacancies in German information and communication
Staffing requirements across software development, telecommunications, and digital media enterprises are isolated in this quarterly metric. The scope encompasses unfilled positions in programming, data processing, publishing, broadcasting, and telecommunications infrastructure where employers have taken active steps to find external staff. It excludes in-house software roles at automotive manufacturers, banks, or retailers, which are assigned to their respective parent industries. Sibling sectors such as business-related services cover broad technical consultancies, whereas this row isolates establishments whose primary product is information technology or communications content.
Evaluating movements in this segment warrants caution regarding annual budgeting patterns, which often drive recruitment schedules across digital firms. Comparing figures against the same quarter of the preceding year provides a cleaner indication of underlying demand than quarter-on-quarter changes, which can be distorted by quarterly project commencement dates. Periodic reclassifications of fast-evolving digital activities can generate minor structural shifts across survey waves. Analysts should avoid equating these numbers directly with commercial online job portal listings, as online boards frequently count duplicated postings across multiple platforms, while the IAB job vacancy survey counts distinct open positions reported directly by individual workplaces.
Frequently asked questions
- Are software developers hired by manufacturing companies included in this total?
- No, the series reflects the economic sector of the employing workplace, so in-house programming roles at industrial firms fall under manufacturing.
- Does the survey count freelance technology contractors?
- Freelance contractors and independent specialists without standard employment contracts are excluded from the vacancy count.
- How does this series differ from vacancy counts on commercial job boards?
- Commercial job sites aggregate individual online advertisements that often duplicate the same vacancy, whereas this survey measures actual unfilled workplace positions.