Institute for Employment Research (IAB)

• Data description
• Time period
• Support links
• How to access data

Data description

The EUI hosts a data access point to the confidential microdata of the Institute for Employment Research (IAB).

Administrative individual-level data on both employment and unemployment trajectories on a daily basis since 1975 build the core of these data, including information on socio-demographic characteristics and employers.

Additionally, survey data of workers, households, or establishments are available, also combined with the administrative data to form linked-employer-employee datasets.

After project-specific approval by the Research Data Centre (FDZ) of the IAB, researchers from scientific institutions can access standardized data products for the purpose of non-commercial empirical research in the fields of social security and employment.

If you want to learn more about the different data products and how to get access, please see: https://fdz.iab.de/en/startseite-en/

Please note that access to the IAB-FDZ data is contingent upon an agreement with IAB to be reached by each individual scholar and a scheduled appointment with the EUI Library, See below "How to access data".

Time period

• Updated: weekly update
• Data coverage: 1975-present (see also individual dataset description)

Support links

• Documentation is available on the IAB FDZ dedicated page
• Documentation relevant to the onsite visit will be provided upon scheduled appointment

How to access data

The EUI Library acts as access site for the IAB-FDZ data for the local region, for both EUI members and external scholars.

Procedure for EUI scholars

• Access to the IAB-FDZ data is contingent upon approval by IAB. All relvant infomation is available on the IAB-FDZ dedicated page (approval may take up to 4 weeks)
• Once approved, write to [email protected] to make an appointment for the data access session.

Procedure for non-EUI (external) scholars 

• Access to the IAB-FDZ data is contingent upon approval by IAB. All relvant infomation is available on the IAB-FDZ dedicated page (approval may take up to 4 weeks)
• Once approved by IAB, you need to request access as External Visitor to the EUI Library (this will grant you access for 1 year to the library). Please follow this guide for the procedure. 
• Finally, write to [email protected] to make an appointment for the site visit and the data access session.