MINT Autumn Report: IT specialist shortage almost gone

The shortage of skilled workers in IT, widely lamented in previous years, seems to be hardly playing a role any more, according to data from the current MINT Autumn Report by the Institute of the German Economy (IW). According to the report, while there is a deficit of 148,500 qualified workers in the entire MINT sector (Mathematics, Informatics, Natural Sciences, Technology) – IT professions now only make up a small fraction of this. As study director Professor Axel Plünnecke explained to the iX editorial team, the IT specialist bottleneck is only 3,100 people.

Last year, the IW research team determined a shortage of 18,700 skilled workers in IT professions, and 43,600 in 2023. According to the current MINT Autumn Report, the shortage is rather in other areas: broken down by MINT occupational groups, the largest gaps are in energy/electrical professions with 53,100, in mechanical and vehicle technology with 30,000, in metal processing professions with 28,900, and in construction professions with 25,300 people.

MINT demand is falling, unemployment is rising

The overall MINT professions also show a significant decrease in the shortage situation: compared to the previous year's figure from October 2024 with 205,800 people, the gap has decreased by 27.8 percent. Compared to 2023 with 280,480, the current figure is almost halved.

The authors of the study attribute this to the sharp economic downturn in the German economy. This is also clearly reflected in the number of recorded job advertisements for MINT jobs. In October 2025, there were a total of around 367,600 positions to be filled in MINT professions, compared to 418,200 in 2024 and even 476,400 in 2023. Similarly, the number of registered unemployed people who would like to pursue a MINT profession has increased – from 226,295 in the previous year to currently 253,885 people. After factoring out aspects such as incorrect qualifications, this results in the current gap of 148,500.

Shortage is expected to increase again soon

However, in the long term, the research team at the employer-affiliated IW expects the shortage of skilled workers to increase again. Future additional needs are expected in areas such as digitalization, climate protection, infrastructure, and defense. Added to this are demographic change and declining MINT skills among young people, which are expected to lead to a significant worsening of the situation again.

As ways to address future shortages, the researchers recommend better early childhood and school education, greater recruitment of women for MINT careers, and keeping older workers in their jobs longer. Immigration is also an important lever.

According to a special evaluation for example, the number of international students pursuing degrees in MINT subjects in Germany increased from 131,000 in the winter semester 2017/2018 to 189,000 in the winter semester 2022/2023. "The number of international students in MINT subjects is increasing significantly, and most want to stay in Germany. If the transition to the labor market is successful, this can make a significant contribution to innovation, growth, and prosperity," emphasized study director Axel Plünnecke. To achieve this, teaching capacities should be secured, German courses expanded, and visa and immigration procedures simplified.

(axk)