Labour force; 1800-2013 (12-hours threshold)

Labour force; 1800-2013 (12-hours threshold)

Sex Personal characteristics Periods Employed labour force Socio-economic status (index)
Total sex Total personal characteristics 2013 .
Total sex Age 15 to 25 years 2013 .
Total sex Age 25 to 40 years 2013 .
Total sex Age 40 to 55 years 2013 .
Total sex Age 55 to 65 years 2013 .
Total sex Background: Netherlands 2013 .
Total sex Background: with migration background 2013 .
Total sex Background: western 2013 .
Total sex Background: non-western 2013 .
Total sex Background: unknown 2013 .
Total sex Educ. level: primary 2013 .
Total sex Educ. level: vmbo, mbo1, avo 2013 .
Total sex Educ. level: havo, vwo, mbo 2013 .
Total sex Educ. level: hbo 2013 .
Total sex Educ. level: wo 2013 .
Total sex Educ level: unknown 2013 .
Men Total personal characteristics 2013 .
Men Age 15 to 25 years 2013 .
Men Age 25 to 40 years 2013 .
Men Age 40 to 55 years 2013 .
Men Age 55 to 65 years 2013 .
Men Background: Netherlands 2013 .
Men Background: with migration background 2013 .
Men Background: western 2013 .
Men Background: non-western 2013 .
Men Background: unknown 2013 .
Men Educ. level: primary 2013 .
Men Educ. level: vmbo, mbo1, avo 2013 .
Men Educ. level: havo, vwo, mbo 2013 .
Men Educ. level: hbo 2013 .
Men Educ. level: wo 2013 .
Men Educ level: unknown 2013 .
Women Total personal characteristics 2013 .
Women Age 15 to 25 years 2013 .
Women Age 25 to 40 years 2013 .
Women Age 40 to 55 years 2013 .
Women Age 55 to 65 years 2013 .
Women Background: Netherlands 2013 .
Women Background: with migration background 2013 .
Women Background: western 2013 .
Women Background: non-western 2013 .
Women Background: unknown 2013 .
Women Educ. level: primary 2013 .
Women Educ. level: vmbo, mbo1, avo 2013 .
Women Educ. level: havo, vwo, mbo 2013 .
Women Educ. level: hbo 2013 .
Women Educ. level: wo 2013 .
Women Educ level: unknown 2013 .
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Dataset is not available.


In this table you can find a historical series of figures since 1800 on the composition of the Dutch labour force from 15-64 by sex and a few other personal characteristics. The data on the registered unemployed by ethnic background and level of education are only available from 1996 and onwards. The figures on professional prestige, socio-economic status and social class are only available from 1975 and onwards and only concern the total employed labour force. Until 1987 the definition of the employed labour force deviates somewhat from the current definition. It concerns people who work at least 15 hours a week instead of 12 hours a week.

Data available from 1800 including 2013.

Status of the figures:
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 are adjusted to the international standard definitions and data collection is improved by using web interviewing. The figures in this table haven’t been revised yet and thus differ from the figures in other tables concerning the labour force. For more information about this revision, see the link to the press release in paragraph 3.

Changes as of June 27, 2018:
None, this table has been discontinued.

When will new figures be published?
This table will no longer be updated. A new historical series of yearly figures on the labour force based on the international definition is made. See the link in paragraph 3.

Description topics

Employed labour force
Socio-economic status
Socio-economic status is determined by ascribing a score to a profession
according to the International Socio-Economic Index (ISEI) that was
developed by Ganzeboom, De Graaf en Treiman (1992). ISEI-scores are
calculated to reckon in the required level of education for professions
as well as the income and prestige of these professions. The scores can
vary from 0 to 100. In this table the mean ISEI-score was determined for
the employed labour force.