Skilled worker shortage in Germany eases, but structural problems remain
Only 22.7% of companies report skilled labor shortage, says ifo. Economy and AI fundamentally change the labor market.
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The shortage of skilled workers in Germany has eased considerably. In February 2026, according to the ifo Institute, only 22.7 percent of companies complained about a lack of qualified employees. This is a decrease from 25.8 percent in October 2025 and, at the same time, the lowest value in five years.
ifo researcher Klaus Wohlrabe cites the persistently weak economic situation as the main reason for the easing. At the same time, he warns: "The decline must not obscure the fact that structural challenges remain." In particular, the use of artificial intelligence is changing the requirements for skilled workers, according to Wohlrabe. "The aging of the population is meeting a profound technological change – this will further shift the demand for certain qualifications," adds the ifo researcher.
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Sectors: Transport recovers, service providers suffer
The situation has eased particularly sharply in transport and logistics: here, the proportion of companies with personnel shortages fell from 42.7 to 30.6 percent. The figure also decreased in industry to 16.6 percent, with the automotive industry and manufacturers of electrical equipment being particularly less affected with less than ten percent. Mechanical engineering is at 19 percent.
The situation is different for service providers: one in four companies complains about a lack of personnel. The situation is particularly drastic for legal and tax advisors with 58.4 percent and for temporary employment agencies with 56.6 percent. In retail, 18 percent are affected, with the retail trade suffering significantly more at 21.6 percent than wholesale at 16.2 percent. In the main construction industry, the proportion is 30.4 percent.
Details on the current figures can be found at the ifo Institute.
(fo)
