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

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Sex Personal characteristics Labour force acc.to internat. definition Position on the labour market Total labour force acc.to internat. def. (x 1 000) Labour force acc.to internat. definition Position on the labour market Emp. labour force acc. to internat. def. (x 1 000) Labour force acc.to internat. definition Position on the labour market Unemp. labour force acc.to internat.def. (x 1 000) Labour force acc.to internat. definition Position on the labour market People not included in the labour force (x 1 000) Classification according to ISCO88 Service, shop and market sales workers (x 1 000)
Total sex Total personal characteristics 8,965 8,365 600 4,788 .
15-25 yrs 1,429 1,271 157 611 .
25-35 yrs 1,807 1,689 119 232 .
35-45 yrs 1,998 1,884 113 268 .
45-55 yrs 2,160 2,046 114 355 .
55-65 yrs 1,381 1,294 87 773 .
65-75 yrs 172 162 10 1,453 .
75 yrs and older 19 19 . 1,096 .
15 - 20 yrs 601 517 84 385 .
20 - 25 yrs 828 754 73 226 .
25 - 30 yrs 908 843 66 123 .
30 - 35 yrs 899 846 53 108 .
35 - 40 yrs 906 853 53 114 .
40 - 45 yrs 1,091 1,031 60 154 .
45 - 50 yrs 1,117 1,060 57 164 .
50 - 55 yrs 1,043 986 57 192 .
55 - 60 yrs 855 801 53 260 .
60 - 65 yrs 526 492 33 513 .
65 - 70 yrs 132 125 7 823 .
70 - 75 yrs 39 37 2 630 .
75 yrs and older 19 19 . 1,096 .
Single person households 1,385 1,248 137 1,321 .
Partner in a couple (no children) 2,307 2,195 112 2,188 .
Partner in a couple with children 3,551 3,397 154 534 .
Single parent 328 296 32 129 .
Child aged >= 18 years 885 791 94 275 .
Child aged < 18 years 323 269 54 259 .
Other member household 185 169 16 82 .
Household position unknown . . . . .
Pre-primary education 59 51 8 121 .
Primary education 492 422 70 817 .
Lower secondary education 1,541 1,403 139 1,472 .
Upper secondary education 3,737 3,486 252 1,582 .
Post-secondary non-tertiary education 43 40 2 9 .
Tertiary education 2,882 2,769 113 671 .
Doctorate (PhD) 53 52 . 10 .
Level of education: unknown 158 142 16 107 .
Men Total personal characteristics 4,826 4,485 341 1,959 .
15-25 yrs 718 641 78 318 .
25-35 yrs 943 871 72 81 .
35-45 yrs 1,051 987 64 81 .
45-55 yrs 1,162 1,099 64 102 .
55-65 yrs 811 755 56 265 .
65-75 yrs 127 118 8 668 .
75 yrs and older 15 15 . 442 .
15 - 20 yrs 302 261 41 202 .
20 - 25 yrs 416 380 37 116 .
25 - 30 yrs 468 426 42 52 .
30 - 35 yrs 475 445 30 30 .
35 - 40 yrs 476 445 31 33 .
40 - 45 yrs 575 542 34 48 .
45 - 50 yrs 597 567 30 48 .
50 - 55 yrs 565 532 33 54 .
55 - 60 yrs 482 450 32 75 .
60 - 65 yrs 329 305 24 190 .
65 - 70 yrs 96 90 6 377 .
70 - 75 yrs 31 28 2 291 .
75 yrs and older 15 15 . 442 .
Single person households 825 723 102 450 .
Partner in a couple (no children) 1,244 1,182 63 1,016 .
Partner in a couple with children 1,898 1,822 77 140 .
Single parent 65 60 5 18 .
Child aged >= 18 years 525 468 58 159 .
Child aged < 18 years 161 135 26 137 .
Other member household 107 96 11 38 .
Household position unknown . . . . .
Pre-primary education 34 30 5 39 .
Primary education 288 246 42 283 .
Lower secondary education 854 775 79 509 .
Upper secondary education 1,997 1,857 139 710 .
Post-secondary non-tertiary education 23 22 . 4 .
Tertiary education 1,503 1,439 65 361 .
Doctorate (PhD) 36 35 . 8 .
Level of education: unknown 91 81 10 43 .
Women Total personal characteristics 4,139 3,880 259 2,829 .
15-25 yrs 710 631 80 293 .
25-35 yrs 865 818 47 151 .
35-45 yrs 946 898 49 186 .
45-55 yrs 998 948 51 253 .
55-65 yrs 570 539 31 507 .
65-75 yrs 45 43 2 784 .
75 yrs and older 4 4 . 654 .
15 - 20 yrs 299 256 43 183 .
20 - 25 yrs 411 375 36 110 .
25 - 30 yrs 440 416 24 72 .
30 - 35 yrs 424 402 23 79 .
35 - 40 yrs 430 408 23 80 .
40 - 45 yrs 516 490 26 106 .
45 - 50 yrs 520 493 27 116 .
50 - 55 yrs 478 454 24 138 .
55 - 60 yrs 373 352 21 185 .
60 - 65 yrs 197 187 10 323 .
65 - 70 yrs 36 35 2 446 .
70 - 75 yrs 9 9 . 339 .
75 yrs and older 4 4 . 654 .
Single person households 560 525 35 871 .
Partner in a couple (no children) 1,063 1,014 49 1,171 .
Partner in a couple with children 1,652 1,575 78 394 .
Single parent 263 236 27 111 .
Child aged >= 18 years 360 324 36 116 .
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

Labour force acc.to internat. definition
Labour force according to the 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 (within two weeks) availability
for the labour market. According to the Dutch definition a period of three
months is allowed.
Position on the labour market
The population of 15 years and older can be classified as follows.
- employed labour force.
- unemployed labour force.
- persons not included in the labour force.
Total labour force acc.to internat. def.
Total labour force according to the international definition.
Emp. labour force acc. to internat. def.
Employed population according to the international definition.
Persons working at least 1 hour a week.
Unemp. labour force acc.to internat.def.
Unemployed labour force according to the international definition.
People not included in the labour force
Persons not included in the labour force.
Classification according to ISCO88
Occupations according to the International Standard Classification of
Occupations 1988.
Service, shop and market sales workers
Lower service and commercial personnel.