Labour force; main figures by sex and other characteristics 2000-2014

View full table Show description
Sex Personal characteristics Employed labour force acc. internat. def Position Employees: permanent jobs (x 1 000) Employed labour force acc. internat. def Position Employees: flexible jobs (x 1 000)
Total sex Total personal characteristics 5,211 1,806
15-25 yrs 397 804
25-35 yrs 1,084 422
35-45 yrs 1,316 229
45-55 yrs 1,467 189
55-65 yrs 919 102
65-75 yrs 27 53
75 yrs and older . 7
15 - 20 yrs 115 379
20 - 25 yrs 282 425
25 - 30 yrs 500 268
30 - 35 yrs 584 153
35 - 40 yrs 593 119
40 - 45 yrs 723 111
45 - 50 yrs 751 106
50 - 55 yrs 715 83
55 - 60 yrs 588 61
60 - 65 yrs 331 41
65 - 70 yrs 23 39
70 - 75 yrs 5 14
75 yrs and older . 7
Single person households 754 293
Partner in a couple (no children) 1,417 380
Partner in a couple with children 2,404 365
Single parent 213 46
Child aged >= 18 years 294 452
Child aged < 18 years 52 204
Other member household 79 67
Household position unknown . .
Pre-primary education 32 14
Primary education 227 140
Lower secondary education 795 418
Upper secondary education 2,182 753
Post-secondary non-tertiary education 30 5
Tertiary education 1,836 425
Doctorate (PhD) 35 8
Level of education: unknown 75 44
Men Total personal characteristics 2,731 885
15-25 yrs 205 394
25-35 yrs 543 208
35-45 yrs 668 106
45-55 yrs 776 78
55-65 yrs 523 52
65-75 yrs 18 40
75 yrs and older . 6
15 - 20 yrs 58 191
20 - 25 yrs 147 204
25 - 30 yrs 246 130
30 - 35 yrs 296 78
35 - 40 yrs 301 58
40 - 45 yrs 367 49
45 - 50 yrs 397 43
50 - 55 yrs 379 36
55 - 60 yrs 323 30
60 - 65 yrs 199 23
65 - 70 yrs 14 29
70 - 75 yrs 4 11
75 yrs and older . 6
Single person households 425 157
Partner in a couple (no children) 745 179
Partner in a couple with children 1,266 157
Single parent 41 5
Child aged >= 18 years 182 250
Child aged < 18 years 26 102
Other member household 45 34
Household position unknown . .
Pre-primary education 18 8
Primary education 130 78
Lower secondary education 428 219
Upper secondary education 1,132 365
Post-secondary non-tertiary education 16 3
Tertiary education 941 184
Doctorate (PhD) 25 4
Level of education: unknown 41 24
Women Total personal characteristics 2,480 921
15-25 yrs 192 410
25-35 yrs 542 214
35-45 yrs 648 123
45-55 yrs 691 110
55-65 yrs 397 49
65-75 yrs 10 14
75 yrs and older . .
15 - 20 yrs 57 188
20 - 25 yrs 135 222
25 - 30 yrs 254 138
30 - 35 yrs 288 76
35 - 40 yrs 292 61
40 - 45 yrs 356 62
45 - 50 yrs 355 64
50 - 55 yrs 336 47
55 - 60 yrs 265 31
60 - 65 yrs 132 18
65 - 70 yrs 9 11
70 - 75 yrs . 3
75 yrs and older . .
Single person households 328 136
Partner in a couple (no children) 671 201
Partner in a couple with children 1,138 208
Single parent 171 41
Child aged >= 18 years 111 201
Source: cbs.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


In this table you can find yearly figures about the composition of the Dutch labour force according to the international definition.

The Dutch definition of the labour force deviates from the international standard of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Because of this the size and composition of the labour force differs. Firstly for the Dutch definition a threshold value of twelve hours is used for the number of hours a person wants to work in a week. For the international definition this is not the case. Secondly the unemployed population is defined differently.
According to the international definition someone must be able to start working within two weeks. For the Dutch definition in some cases a term of three months is used when someone can start working or actively search for work.

Data available from 2000 to2013.

Status of the figures:
The figures in this table are definite.

Changes as of 26 February 2015:
None, this table was stopped.

Changes as of 1 April 2014:
The figures on 2013 were added to this table. All figures on occupation for 2012 and 2013 are not available yet. As soon as these figures are available they will be added to this table. The figures on the level of education for 2012 onwards are provisional.

When will new figures be published?
This table is stopped. The update of 1 April 2014 was the last update of this table. On 26 February 2015 new revised tables about the labour force have been published. The revision of the labour force statistics consists of two parts. The definitions will be adjusted to the international standard definitions and data collection is improved by using web interviewing. For more information about this revision, see the link to the press release in paragraph 3.

Description topics

Employed labour force acc. internat. def
Employed labour force according international definition.
The Dutch definition of the labour force deviates from the international
definition as given by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and
therefore gives different results. Firstly, according to the Dutch
definition only persons willing to work at least twelve hours a week are
taken into account. Secondly, the definitions of labour force vary. The
international definition requires prompt (two weeks) availability for
the labour market. According to the Dutch definition a period of three
months is allowed.
Position
Employees: permanent jobs
A person who has an employment contract that is permanent and whose working hours are laid down by contract.
Employees: flexible jobs
A person who has an employment contract that is of limited duration or whose number of
working hours are not laid down by contract.
These are:
Employee with a temporary contract and a permanent job in prospect and whose working hours are laid down by contract
Employee with a temporary contract of 1 year or more and whose working hours are laid down by contract
Employee with other temporary contracts and whose working hours are laid down by contract
Stand-by employee/Substitute employee
Temporary worker
Employee with a permanent contract whose working hours are not laid down by contract
Employee with a temporary contract whose working hours are not laid down by contract