- 157 shortage occupations in the 2026 analysis, down from 163.
- Software development, IT sales and metal cutting were removed; surveying and social work were added.
- About half of the roughly 402,000 skilled vacancies were in shortage occupations.
On 2 September 2026 the Federal Employment Agency published its yearly shortage analysis. The headline: fewer shortage occupations, but a growing role for workers from abroad.
The key numbers
- 157 occupations were classed as shortage occupations for 2025, six fewer than the 163 of the year before.
- About 402,000 vacancies for skilled workers, specialists and experts were reported on average in 2025, and about half of them were in shortage occupations.
- Only about one in five unemployed skilled workers was looking for work in a shortage occupation.
What changed
Removed: metal cutting, IT sales and software development. Added: surveying technology and social work. Healthcare and nursing remain the most affected, followed by construction, skilled trades, cooks, professional drivers and childcare.
Foreign workers
The share of foreign employees in shortage occupations doubled from about 7% in 2014 to about 14%. The agency's chair said foreign workers are already indispensable in many shortage occupations and that immigration will become even more important for the labour market.
What it means for you
Read my full explainer: jobs in demand in Germany 2026/27. Source: Federal Employment Agency.
SALARY to @swapnil_in_germany on Instagram.
I moved to Germany for my master's, collected more than 1,000 rejections, and then got multiple job offers within six months. I work in digital marketing in Germany and help international professionals get hired in Europe. Read my story.