Halle (dpa/sa) - In Saxony-Anhalt, unemployment is likely to rise next year, but so will employment. Scientists at the Institute for Labor Market and Vocational Research (IAB) assume this. According to the IAB forecast, there will be an average of 77,600 unemployed in the country in 2023, 1,600 or 2.1 percent more than in 2022. "Against the background of the current crises, energy prices, material and delivery bottlenecks, we expect an economic downturn," said IAB researcher Per Kropp on Monday. The labor market will be affected. However, given the high labor demand, there shouldn't be a slump, he said.
In the best-case scenario, the scientists assume that there will be 69,400 unemployed in the country by 2023. That would be 8.7 percent less than in 2022. At the same time, the IAB expects an average of 808,900 jobs in Saxony-Anhalt that are subject to social security contributions. That would be 3,300 (0.4 percent) more than this year's 805,600 jobs. However, the companies are coming under increasing pressure as a result of the crises, said the head of the Saxony-Anhalt-Thuringia regional directorate, Markus Behrens. Fewer jobs are reported to employment agencies and fewer people are hired.
The background is that employers tend to want to hold on to their employees and trainees. All in all, this reduces the chances of getting out of unemployment, especially for people who have been without a job for a long time, said Behrens, also with a view to the qualifications required for a new job. Otherwise, a lot will depend on how the current crises can be cushioned. Unlike in 2020, when the corona pandemic began, short-time work benefits will only be able to provide limited support.
