Record-Breaking Part-Time Employment in 2025's Germany landscape
Record-high part-time employment rates observed in Germany - Part-time jobs in Germany reach all-time high
Are we witnessing a shift in Germany's employment landscape? With an unprecedented spike, Germany recorded a stunning 39.8% part-time quota in Q1 of 2025. This breathtaking figure, shared by the Institute for Employment Research (IAB), reveals a historic rise over the previous year, with a staggering 190,000 more part-time employees, totaling 16.75 million [source: IAB].
As full-time employment experiences a 0.6% decline, reaching 25.35 million, part-time workers are seemingly taking center stage, averaging around 50% of the usual weekly working time, marking a record-high 18.54 weekly hours. Conversely, the standard full-time hours have dropped to 38.14 hours [source: IAB].
Boosting Potential for Germany's Skilled Labor Market
Dr. Andrea Nahles, the Federal Employment Agency's board chairperson, strongly emphasizes the potential of increasing the weekly hours for part-time employees as a viable solution to address skilled-labor shortages. According to Enzo Weber, head of the IAB's research department for forecasts and macroeconomic analysis, this surge can be attributed to the growth of part-time-heavy sectors like care and childcare [source: IAB].
Weber elucidates the intriguing paradox, "Despite the record high part-time quota, the working time has not significantly reduced. Instead, we've gained an additional 1.4 hours per employee over 20 years."
Boosting the Working Volume
A spirited increase in the working volume of employed persons by 0.2%, reaching 15.66 billion hours, is noticeable, with 36 million additional working hours compared to Q1 of the previous year [source: IAB]. Weber attributes this climb to the economic crisis, citing more short-time work, fewer full-time jobs in industry, construction, and temporary work.
Nevertheless, the average weekly working hours for all employed persons have dipped slightly, totaling 30.34 hours. A flattened 38.14 hours for full-time workers contrasts the sharp rise by 0.2 hours for part-time employees, now clocking in at 18.54 hours - a figure driven primarily by part-time workers engaged in mini-jobs.
Enrichment Insights:
- Germany's evolving immigration policies aim to secure skilled workers and combat labor shortages. A record high part-time quota is not explicitly addressed in current data. However, policies like the Opportunity Card, additional work visas, minimum wage increases, and salary requirements for skilled worker permits could impact both part-time and full-time employment opportunities and working hours.
- The Opportunity Card program allows part-time work for cardholders while they search for full-time employment, potentially leading to a shift from part-time to full-time employment as they secure suitable positions.
- The increased availability of skilled workers, facilitated by policies like additional work visas and the Opportunity Card program, could create more full-time employment opportunities. However, part-time positions might stabilize or even increase as businesses adapt to the influx of skilled labor.
- Dr. Andrea Nahles, the Federal Employment Agency's board chairperson, suggests increasing the weekly hours for part-time employees as a potential solution to alleviate Germany's skilled-labor shortages.
- Enzo Weber, head of the IAB's research department for forecasts and macroeconomic analysis, attributes the growth of part-time-heavy sectors like care and childcare as a key factor in the record high part-time quota in Germany.
- The trend of shifting toward part-time employment may be influenced by Germany's policies designed to secure skilled workers, including the Opportunity Card, additional work visas, minimum wage increases, and salary requirements for skilled worker permits.
- The Opportunity Card program in Germany allows part-time work for cardholders while they search for full-time employment, potentially leading to a shift from part-time to full-time employment as they secure suitable positions.
- The influx of skilled workers, facilitated by programs like the Opportunity Card and additional work visas, could create more full-time employment opportunities. However, the demand for part-time workers may remain high, as businesses adapt to the growing availability of skilled labor.
