Labour market research: Germany
Germany's labour market is the largest in the research scope. The unit tracks scarcity, salary movement and hiring practice across Bundesländer, with a focus on sectors where structural shortages shape the economy.
Germany faces a demographic challenge that compounds every year: the working-age population is shrinking while demand in engineering, IT, healthcare and skilled trades keeps growing. The Fachkräftemangel (skilled-worker shortage) is the defining labour market theme.
IPMERC Research runs monitors across German Bundesländer. Fieldwork is in German. The methodology aligns with the Dutch, Belgian and French monitors so cross-border data is comparable.
All findings are published openly under the GDPR statistical research exemption (article 89). No answer is traceable to an individual.
Sectors under study.
What the research unit monitors in Germany.
Engineering and automotive
Mechanical, electrical and automotive engineering. Baden-Württemberg, Bayern and Niedersachsen are the epicentres. The research tracks experienced-hire scarcity and apprenticeship conversion rates.
Technology
Software, data, cloud and cybersecurity. Berlin, München and Hamburg lead, but mid-sized cities (Karlsruhe, Dresden, Dortmund) are growing. The monitor tracks remote-work adoption and its effect on regional salary convergence.
Healthcare and Pflege
Nursing (Pflege), hospital staff and elderly care. Germany's demographic curve makes this the sector with the steepest projected shortfall. Cross-border recruitment from Poland, Romania and the Philippines is a tracked variable.
Skilled trades (Handwerk)
Electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians and construction. The dual-education system (Ausbildung) still produces graduates, but fewer than the market absorbs. The monitor covers apprenticeship starts, dropout rates and journeyman salaries.
Recurring monitors.
Published openly after each fieldwork round. No paywall, no registration.
Bundesland scarcity monitor
Vacancy-to-candidate ratios by Bundesland and sector. Published twice a year with a methodology note.
Salary tracker
Median salary bands by sector, seniority and region. Tracks the east-west salary gap and its trajectory.
Fachkräfte pipeline
Apprenticeship starts, university graduates and immigration permits by sector. A leading indicator for scarcity 2 to 4 years out.
Questions about this research.
Do you cover all 16 Bundesländer?
Yes. Data is collected and published for all 16 states. For sectors with small sample sizes in less-populated states, adjacent states are grouped.
Is the research in German?
Yes. All fieldwork is in German. Published reports are available in English and German.
How does the data handle the east-west divide?
East and west are separate reporting segments. The salary tracker explicitly shows the gap and its year-on-year change.
Research in other countries.
The same methodology, comparable data.