Overview
- Registered unemployment rose by 177,000 from December to 3.085 million, putting the rate at 6.6 percent, while seasonally adjusted figures were roughly flat.
- BA chief Andrea Nahles said there is little labor‑market momentum and indicated the total is unlikely to dip back below three million next month.
- Reported vacancies fell to 598,000, down 34,000 year over year, reducing placement chances, with job finding notably harder for low‑qualified workers.
- Regional reports show sharp increases: North Rhine‑Westphalia climbed by 30,999 to 798,016, Berlin’s rise was stronger than usual, Bavaria logged its highest January since 2010, and Saxony and Saxony‑Anhalt posted higher rates.
- Strains are evident for vulnerable groups and entrants, with 64,000 youths still without apprenticeships (41,000 with no placement) and high shares of older and long‑term unemployed reported in some states.