Germany's job openings slump to five-year low amid Iran-war energy price surge

According to Indeed's labour‑market update for the second quarter of 2026, the number of advertised jobs in Germany fell 3.9% year‑on‑year, reaching the lowest level in more than five years. The Indeed Job Market Index dropped from 110 to 106 between April and June, and overall listings are 39% below the spring‑2022 peak.

Of the 38 occupational groups examined, only six recorded growth; three of those were in the health sector. Dentistry showed the strongest rise, with a 25.3% increase in postings, followed by strong demand for dental assistants and trainees. Other health occupations such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, operating‑room assistants, optometrists and emergency‑room staff also posted modest gains.

Seasonal summer positions remained stable, accounting for about 17.7% of the summer‑job market in production and manufacturing, 15.4% in sales, 14.1% in childcare, and 10.5% in warehousing and logistics. Office‑based roles comprised only 2.3% of summer listings.

Analysts link the broader decline to a pessimistic economic outlook after the Iranian war drove up energy prices, prompting the German federal government to cut its 2026 GDP growth forecast to 0.5%. Inflation rose to 2.9%, pushing real wage growth into negative territory despite a nominal wage increase of 2.8% in job ads.