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

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Sex Personal characteristics Employed labour force acc. internat. def Position Family workers (x 1 000) Employed labour force acc. internat. def Working hours 01-19 hrs per week (x 1 000) Employed labour force acc. internat. def Working hours 20-34 hrs per week (x 1 000) Employed labour force acc. internat. def Working hours >35 hrs per week (x 1 000) Employed labour force acc. internat. def Working hours Working hours unknown (x 1 000) Employed labour force acc. internat. def Working hours Average working hours (x 1 000) Classification according to ISCO88 Technicians, skilled workers (x 1 000) Classification according to ISCO88 Office workers (x 1 000) Classification according to ISCO88 Service, shop and market sales workers (x 1 000) Classification according to ISCO88 Skilled workers agriculture and fishery (x 1 000) Classification according to ISCO88 Factory workers, machine operators, etc. (x 1 000)
Total sex Total personal characteristics 43 1,610 2,417 4,260 79 30.8 . . . . .
15-25 yrs 4 685 251 302 34 19.3 . . . . .
25-35 yrs 5 158 492 1,029 10 33.8 . . . . .
35-45 yrs 11 198 606 1,072 9 33.6 . . . . .
45-55 yrs 12 245 634 1,158 9 33.5 . . . . .
55-65 yrs 9 220 393 672 9 31.5 . . . . .
65-75 yrs 2 93 38 24 7 17.1 . . . . .
75 yrs and older . 12 3 2 . 14.7 . . . . .
15 - 20 yrs 2 407 59 34 17 11.6 . . . . .
20 - 25 yrs 2 278 191 268 17 24.6 . . . . .
25 - 30 yrs . 89 234 513 7 33.4 . . . . .
30 - 35 yrs 4 69 258 516 3 34.2 . . . . .
35 - 40 yrs 5 80 277 491 5 33.8 . . . . .
40 - 45 yrs 6 118 329 581 4 33.5 . . . . .
45 - 50 yrs 7 128 327 600 4 33.6 . . . . .
50 - 55 yrs 5 117 307 558 5 33.4 . . . . .
55 - 60 yrs 5 116 243 439 4 32.4 . . . . .
60 - 65 yrs 3 105 150 232 5 30.1 . . . . .
65 - 70 yrs 2 67 31 21 5 18.1 . . . . .
70 - 75 yrs . 26 7 3 2 13.5 . . . . .
75 yrs and older . 12 3 2 . 14.7 . . . . .
Single person households . 173 316 746 13 32.8 . . . . .
Partner in a couple (no children) 12 341 615 1,224 17 32.0 . . . . .
Partner in a couple with children 26 448 1,106 1,827 16 32.8 . . . . .
Single parent . 40 146 107 2 29.9 . . . . .
Child aged >= 18 years 3 327 175 269 20 23.5 . . . . .
Child aged < 18 years . 238 16 7 8 8.5 . . . . .
Other member household . 43 43 80 3 29.0 . . . . .
Household position unknown . . . . . . . . . . .
Pre-primary education . 10 14 27 . 30.8 . . . . .
Primary education 2 158 90 168 6 25.1 . . . . .
Lower secondary education 12 442 350 593 17 27.0 . . . . .
Upper secondary education 20 691 1,038 1,721 35 30.6 . . . . .
Post-secondary non-tertiary education . 3 13 24 . 33.6 . . . . .
Tertiary education 8 275 861 1,616 17 33.6 . . . . .
Doctorate (PhD) . 4 11 37 . 36.1 . . . . .
Level of education: unknown . 26 39 75 3 30.9 . . . . .
Men Total personal characteristics 12 532 609 3,305 38 35.6 . . . . .
15-25 yrs 4 322 100 202 17 21.1 . . . . .
25-35 yrs 2 43 107 716 4 37.8 . . . . .
35-45 yrs 3 15 109 860 2 40.0 . . . . .
45-55 yrs 2 25 127 944 3 39.8 . . . . .
55-65 yrs . 53 135 561 5 36.7 . . . . .
65-75 yrs . 65 29 20 5 18.3 . . . . .
75 yrs and older . 9 3 2 . 16.4 . . . . .
15 - 20 yrs 2 197 31 25 8 12.7 . . . . .
20 - 25 yrs 2 125 69 176 9 26.8 . . . . .
25 - 30 yrs . 32 57 334 3 36.6 . . . . .
30 - 35 yrs . 11 50 382 . 39.0 . . . . .
35 - 40 yrs . 8 49 388 . 39.8 . . . . .
40 - 45 yrs 2 8 60 472 . 40.1 . . . . .
45 - 50 yrs . 12 64 489 2 39.9 . . . . .
50 - 55 yrs . 13 63 454 . 39.7 . . . . .
55 - 60 yrs . 17 67 363 2 38.2 . . . . .
60 - 65 yrs . 36 67 198 3 34.5 . . . . .
65 - 70 yrs . 45 23 18 4 19.6 . . . . .
70 - 75 yrs . 20 6 2 . 14.2 . . . . .
75 yrs and older . 9 3 2 . 16.4 . . . . .
Single person households . 78 123 514 7 35.2 . . . . .
Partner in a couple (no children) 3 117 174 880 10 35.9 . . . . .
Partner in a couple with children 5 33 193 1,591 5 40.1 . . . . .
Single parent . 2 9 48 . 38.3 . . . . .
Child aged >= 18 years 2 164 84 209 11 26.3 . . . . .
Child aged < 18 years . 118 8 5 3 9.0 . . . . .
Other member household . 21 17 58 2 31.8 . . . . .
Household position unknown . . . . . . . . . . .
Pre-primary education . 2 5 22 . 36.5 . . . . .
Primary education . 67 31 145 2 29.9 . . . . .
Lower secondary education 4 151 106 509 9 32.8 . . . . .
Upper secondary education 5 208 244 1,389 17 36.1 . . . . .
Post-secondary non-tertiary education . . 2 19 . 38.1 . . . . .
Tertiary education 2 91 202 1,136 9 37.4 . . . . .
Doctorate (PhD) . 3 4 28 . 37.2 . . . . .
Level of education: unknown . 9 14 57 2 34.9 . . . . .
Women Total personal characteristics 31 1,078 1,808 954 40 25.2 . . . . .
15-25 yrs . 362 151 101 17 17.5 . . . . .
25-35 yrs 3 115 385 313 6 29.6 . . . . .
35-45 yrs 9 182 497 212 6 26.7 . . . . .
45-55 yrs 10 220 507 215 6 26.2 . . . . .
55-65 yrs 8 167 258 110 3 24.2 . . . . .
65-75 yrs . 28 10 4 2 13.8 . . . . .
75 yrs and older . 3 . . . 8.7 . . . . .
15 - 20 yrs . 209 29 9 9 10.4 . . . . .
20 - 25 yrs . 153 122 92 8 22.3 . . . . .
25 - 30 yrs . 57 177 180 4 30.2 . . . . .
30 - 35 yrs 3 58 208 134 2 28.9 . . . . .
35 - 40 yrs 4 72 228 104 4 27.3 . . . . .
40 - 45 yrs 5 110 269 108 3 26.2 . . . . .
45 - 50 yrs 5 116 264 111 3 26.2 . . . . .
50 - 55 yrs 4 104 243 104 3 26.1 . . . . .
55 - 60 yrs 5 98 175 76 2 24.9 . . . . .
60 - 65 yrs 3 69 83 34 2 22.8 . . . . .
65 - 70 yrs . 22 8 3 . 14.5 . . . . .
70 - 75 yrs . 6 . . . 11.1 . . . . .
75 yrs and older . 3 . . . 8.7 . . . . .
Single person households . 95 192 232 6 29.5 . . . . .
Partner in a couple (no children) 9 224 440 343 7 27.6 . . . . .
Partner in a couple with children 21 415 913 236 11 24.4 . . . . .
Single parent . 38 137 59 2 27.8 . . . . .
Child aged >= 18 years . 164 91 60 9 19.4 . . . . .
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
Family workers
Persons working in their partner's or parents' business or practice.
Working hours
01-19 hrs per week
20-34 hrs per week
>35 hrs per week
Working hours unknown
Average working hours
Classification according to ISCO88
Occupations according to the International Standard Classification of
Occupations 1988.
Technicians, skilled workers
Technicians at various levels, skilled workers.
Office workers
Service, shop and market sales workers
Lower service and commercial personnel.
Skilled workers agriculture and fishery
Factory workers, machine operators, etc.
Lower service and commercial personnel.