Business
German industry lost 496,000 jobs since 2019, Ifo study finds
October 19, 2026 at 02:58 PM
A study by Germany's Ifo Institute shows the industrial sector shed 496,000 jobs, a 7.1 percent decline, between 2019 and 2025.
- Automotive manufacturers and suppliers cut 123,500 jobs, down 13 percent; metal-products firms cut 115,600 and machinery makers 64,500.
- Services added over 2.2 million jobs, led by health (391,000), social affairs (357,000) and public administration (329,000).
- Ifo Dresden deputy director Joachim Ragnitz called the shift "accelerated structural change," saying shrinking sectors previously supported Germany's prosperity.
- Ragnitz warned that new jobs are typically not created in high-productivity, innovative sectors, which could curb future growth.