The fourth quarter of 2017 saw an increase of 1.5% in employment for Germany, according to figures from Destatis, the federal statistical office.

Data from Destatis showed that there were approximately 44.7 million people in employment in Germany in Q4, this was an increase of 642,000 people or 1.5%. The figures added that the rise in the number of employed was due to a strong economy. Destatis added that in all four quarters of 2017, the growth rate was 1.5% compared to the previous year.

Fourth-quarter employment growth was led by the services sector. The number of employees in the public service, education and health rose by 1.9% in the fourth quarter, compared to the previous year. The business services sector saw the second-highest growth followed by trade, transport and hospitality.

Meanwhile, the average number of hours worked per employee fell by 0.8% in the fourth quarter of 2017 compared to the fourth quarter of 2016.