Unemployment down to 400 thousand

The seasonally corrected unemployment figure in the period June-August 2006 averaged 400 thousand. This is 5 thousand less than in the period May-July 2006. Unemployment has not been this low since the summer of 2003, according to the latest figures by Statistics Netherlands.

In the period June-August 2006, 5.3 percent of the labour force was unemployed. One year earlier this was 6.5 percent.

Almost 90 thousand less unemployed within one year

In the first eight months of 2005, the seasonally corrected unemployment figure stayed around 490 thousand. Since then, the number of unemployed has dropped significantly. Over the last twelve months unemployment fell by 88 thousand, a decrease of more than 7 thousand a month.

Unemployment down among young people and people aged 25-44

Unemployment among young people fell by 30 thousand to 100 thousand. In the period June-August 2006, some 10.8 percent of young people were unemployed. The year before, this was 14 percent.

Unemployment also fell among people aged 25-44, the largest group on the labour market. Within one year, the number of unemployed fell by 58 thousand to 166 thousand. In the period June-August 2006, some 4.2 percent of the labour force aged 25-44 was unemployed. The year before unemployment in this group was 5.7 percent.

Same number of people over 45 unemployed as a year ago

In the period June-August 2006, 134 thousand people aged over 45 were unemployed. This is the same number as the year before. Because the number of people over 45 with work did increase over this period, the unemployment rate fell slightly to 4.9 percent.

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