Indicator 8.5.a, b Employment rate

8.5.a, b Employment rate

This indicator shows the proportion of employed persons in the total population of the respective age group. The data source is the EU Labour Force Survey, which is integrated into the Microcensus in Germany. The survey is conducted throughout the year and is initially summarised by the European statistical office Eurostat into quarterly results, from which annual averages are subsequently calculated. The survey covers the population living in private households; persons living in collective households are not included.

For the purposes of the Labour Force Survey, the employed population includes all persons aged 15 and over who performed at least one hour of paid work during the reference week or who worked as unpaid contributing family workers. Also included are persons who were temporarily absent from work, for example due to holiday or illness.

It should be noted that methodological changes have been made to the Labour Force Survey over time – for example, as a result of the revision of the Microcensus from 2020 onwards or due to adjustments following the results of the 2022 Census. These changes may affect the comparability of the time series over time.

The overall employment rate (persons aged 20 to 64) rose from 68.7 % in 2000 by 12.6 percentage points to 81.3 % in 2024. The original political target of 78.0 % for the year 2030 was already reached in 2015. As part of the further development of the German Sustainable Development Strategy in 2025, the target was raised to 83 %.

The employment rate of older persons (aged 55 to 64) increased significantly from 37.4 % in 2000 by 37.8 percentage points to 75.2 % in 2024. Among men in this age group, the rate rose by 32.7 percentage points to 78.9 %. The employment rate of women in this age group more than doubled over the same period, reaching 71.5 % in 2024 (2000: 28.7 %). If the trend of recent years continues, it can be assumed that the target of raising the employment rate of older persons to 77 % will likely be achieved.

The employment rates of women and men overall have developed in the same direction since 2000, albeit to differing extents: Among men aged 20 to 64, the rate rose by 8.3 percentage points to 84.8 % over the period under review. Among women, the increase was significantly higher, rising by 17 percentage points to 77.7 % – although starting from a lower baseline.

When assessing the increase in the female employment rate, it should be taken into account that this was also accompanied by a rise in part-time employment. In 2000, 61.5 % of employed women worked full-time and 38.5 % part-time. By 2024, the shares were 51.5 % full-time and 48.5 % part-time. In comparison, the share of men in full-time employment fell over the same period from 95.7 % to 88.7 %.

A breakdown of the employment rate by age groups shows largely similar trends: In the age group of 20 to 24-year-olds, the rate increased by 5.9 percentage points from 2000 to 2024, reaching 70.7 %. In the age group of 25 to 54-year-olds, it rose by 6.0 percentage points to 85.3 % over the same period. The comparatively lower employment rate among 20 to 24-year-olds is primarily due to education and training periods at schools and universities, which delay entry into the labour market.