Germany’s unemployment rate held steady at 6% in September for the fourth consecutive month, according to an estimate released on Friday.
Seasonally adjusted data from the Federal Employment Agency revealed that the number of unemployed individuals increased by 17,000 over the month. In unadjusted figures, however, the jobless count decreased by 66,000 from the previous month, bringing the total to 2.8 million. Nevertheless, compared to the same time last year, the number of unemployed has risen by 179,000.
“While unemployment and underemployment did see a decrease in September, the reduction was notably less than what is typically expected during this time of year,” said Andrea Nahles, president of the agency, in the announcement. “Thus, the autumn recovery in the labor market is progressing slowly this year,” she added.
In Germany, employment continues to be bolstered by an aging population and labor shortages in specific sectors, prompting employers to expand their workforce.
