Hamburg Metropolitan Region Faces Growing Employment Gap as Workforce Ages
Hamburg, May 27 – The Hamburg Metropolitan Region is heading towards a substantial labor shortage. Of the nearly 2.3 million employees subject to social security contributions, almost 560,000 men and women are over 55 years old and will retire in the coming years, according to the second report from the Coordination Office for Skilled Worker Retention in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region. In contrast, there are only about 212,000 employees under 25 years old.
A Looming Employment Gap
“Without measures for recruiting young talent, promoting training, and attracting skilled workers, the metropolitan region faces a noticeable employment gap,” experts warn. For the study, the Coordination Office evaluated data from the Federal Employment Agency from June 2025. Civil servants, self-employed individuals, and assisting family members were not included in the analysis. The Hamburg Metropolitan Region, with its approximately five million inhabitants, extends far into the federal states of Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
Foreign Workers Crucial, Integration Challenges Remain
Foreign employees already make a significant contribution to securing the demand for skilled workers, the study notes. With more than 340,000 men and women, they now account for 14.8 percent of all employees. Nationwide, the average is two percentage points higher. However, it is striking that more than 37 percent of the over 330,000 job seekers have a foreign nationality. “This discrepancy provides an opportunity to specifically analyze the causes and obstacles to labor market integration and to further develop support measures.”
Regional Disparities in Foreign Worker Share
Within the metropolitan region, there are significant regional differences in the proportion of foreign employees. The district of Harburg has the highest proportion at 18.5 percent, followed by Hamburg with 17.7 percent and the district of Stormarn with 15.4 percent. At the other end of the scale are Schwerin with 6.7 percent, Nordwestmecklenburg with 7.1 percent, and the district of Lüchow-Dannenberg with 7.8 percent.
Hamburg Dominates Regional Employment
With approximately 1,085,000 employees, nearly half of all almost 2.3 million employees in the metropolitan region are in the city of Hamburg. This is followed by Lübeck with around 106,800 and the district of Segeberg with around 99,500 men and women. The fewest employees subject to social security contributions, at just under 15,000, are in the district of Lüchow-Dannenberg.
Gender Differences in Employment Patterns
Of the 2.3 million employees, 52.5 percent are men and 47.5 percent are women. Slightly more than half of the women work part-time, while only 15.5 percent of men do so. The highest part-time rate for women is 65.6 percent in the district of Lüchow-Dannenberg, while the lowest is 45.6 percent in Hamburg and 45.5 percent in Schwerin.
Urgent Need for Action
The findings underscore the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to address the impending labor shortage. These strategies must include initiatives to attract and retain young talent, strengthen vocational training, and facilitate the integration of foreign skilled workers into the labor market. Without proactive measures, the Hamburg Metropolitan Region risks facing significant economic challenges due to a shrinking workforce.
