Job vacancies to be filled later in West Germany
Job vacancies to be filled later in West Germany stood at 150.6 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vacancies to be filled later: Germany | 195.7 | 240.8 | 240.6 | 222.1 | 192.9 | 264.6 | 295.1 | 245.3 | 246.7 | 343.2 | |
| Vacancies to be filled later: West Germany | 150.6 | 189.2 | 203.1 | 176.3 | 148 | 211.9 | 239.2 | 189 | 200.3 | 270.8 | |
| Vacancies to be filled later: East Germany | 45.1 | 51.6 | 37.5 | 45.8 | 44.9 | 52.7 | 55.9 | 56.3 | 46.4 | 72.4 |
Understanding job vacancies to be filled later in West Germany
Longer-horizon staffing schedules among establishments in the western federal states are isolated in this geographic breakdown. The series counts open positions across western Germany where employers are actively recruiting but have designated the appointment for a future date or subsequent quarter. It excludes western openings requiring immediate commencement, which are tracked in the immediate vacancies row, as well as all future-dated vacancies located in the eastern federal states. By focusing on deferred appointments in western workplaces, this metric provides a distinct view of advance workforce budgeting in the western regional economy.
Interpreting quarterly figures requires an understanding of corporate recruitment schedules, as western enterprises frequently align future hiring pipelines with annual budgeting and graduation schedules. Year-on-year comparisons are the most effective analytical approach because they smooth out predictable calendar fluctuations in future staffing campaigns. Revisions to historical estimates occur as updated establishment registry counts adjust regional survey weighting factors. Comparing this metric with administrative employment office data reveals substantial divergence, since western employers rarely register deferred positions with public employment offices, preferring private recruitment pipelines for planned future hires.
Frequently asked questions
- Which regions are covered by this West German deferred vacancy count?
- The data reflect workplaces across the western federal states, excluding eastern states and Berlin in accordance with standard geographic definitions.
- Does this series include internal corporate promotions planned for future quarters?
- No, it measures only external recruitment searches directed outside the firm where active candidate search has already commenced.
- Why do statutory employment offices report far fewer deferred vacancies than this survey?
- Statutory employment services focus predominantly on immediate placements, whereas this establishment survey captures planned future hires handled through private channels.