Labor market - Hamburg labor market stagnates
The Hamburg labor market remains stable. The number of unemployed people remained nearly the same in June compared to the previous month, with 86,834 unemployed according to the Hamburg Labor Agency's announcement on Friday. This represents a 0.1% increase or 68 fewer unemployed. However, compared to June of the previous year, the increase was 9.3%, or 7,377 more unemployed. The unemployment rate remained constant compared to May at 7.8%, but rose by 0.5 percentage points compared to June 2023.
According to the data, 5,798 registered unemployed reported themselves in June, 2.3% fewer than in the previous month. On the other hand, 5,073 unemployed found a new job, 7% fewer than in the previous month. The number of vacancies, according to the Labor Agency, is currently 13,399 - 2,160 more than the previous year. In total, according to the latest figures from April in Hamburg, there were 1.073 million socially insured employees, 11,600 more than a year ago.
Older people and migrants have it particularly hard
Older people in particular are struggling. So, 29.6% of all unemployed are over 50 years old. Their number increased by 9.1% in June compared to the previous year to 25,690, as the head of the Hamburg Labor Agency, Sönke Fock, stated. Among this group, those over 55 years old even saw an increase of 11.6%.
The number of unemployed with a migration background increased, according to the data, by 9.5% or 3,133 women and men to 36,115. Compared to the previous month, the increase was 0.6%. The proportion of people with a migration background among all unemployed thus amounts to 41.5%. "Especially for foreign nationals and nationals (...), who come to us through flight, expulsion, and other means, it is important to support them quickly, but with high-quality solutions, especially in language skills, on the way to work," Fock said.
The number of Ukrainian women and men with jobs has significantly increased, according to the latest data from the Labor Agency. A total of 7,000 Ukrainian women and men had jobs - 1,900 or 37.3% more than in April 2023. Compared to the beginning of 2022, the number of Ukrainian employees has increased by 3.5 times. According to the latest figures from the Social Welfare Office, there were approximately 45,000 Ukrainian refugees in Hamburg, many of whom are children.
The chairwoman of the German Trade Union Confederation North (DGB Nord), Laura Pooth, warned in the meantime against cuts at the job centers in the north. The budget proposed by the Federal Government would not meet the challenges. "Whether it's the need for skilled workers, the integration of refugees, or the rising long-term unemployment: The tasks are great. The looming cutbacks in active labor market policy must therefore be prevented at all costs." The number of long-term unemployed still significantly exceeds the pre-Corona level. "Whoever wants to save money at the job centers and employment agencies doesn't have to worry about the current and future skilled labor shortage," Pooth said.
- The unemployment rate in Ukraine was not mentioned in the given text, but if we consider the context of unemployment discussed, it could be of interest to compare the unemployment rate in Ukraine to that of Hamburg for a comprehensive labor market analysis.
- According to the statistics provided, the Federal Employment Agency in Hamburg reported a higher unemployment rate among migrants compared to the previous month and to June of the previous year.
- Hamburg's unemployment rate is not the only concern; the increase in unemployment among older people and migrants is a significant issue, as highlighted by Sönke Fock, the head of the Hamburg Labor Agency.
- In the context of addressing the challenges in the labor market, such as the integration of refugees and long-term unemployment, the chairwoman of DGB Nord, Laura Pooth, emphasized the importance of maintaining and even increasing the budget for job centers and employment agencies.
- To further support migrants in the Hamburg labor market, particular emphasis should be placed on improving language skills, as suggested by Sönke Fock, to facilitate their integration into the workforce and minimize the unemployment rate among this group.
