Monthly labour participation and unemployment

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Sex Age Periods Labour force Seasonally adjusted (x 1,000) Employed labour force Seasonally adjusted (x 1,000) Unemployed labour force Seasonally adjusted (x 1,000) Unemployment rate Seasonally adjusted (%) Gross labour participation Seasonally adjusted (%) Net labour participation Seasonally adjusted (%)
Total sex 15 to 74 years 2025 May 10,218 9,833 385 3.8 76.1 73.3
2025 June 10,218 9,832 386 3.8 76.1 73.3
2025 July 10,228 9,840 388 3.8 76.2 73.3
2025 August 10,240 9,839 401 3.9 76.3 73.4
2025 September 10,253 9,843 409 4.0 76.4 73.3
2025 October 10,266 9,855 411 4.0 76.4 73.3
2025 November 10,254 9,846 408 4.0 76.2 73.2
2025 December 10,253 9,842 410 4.0 76.2 73.2
2026 January 10,258 9,843 415 4.0 76.3 73.2
2026 February 10,265 9,849 416 4.1 76.3 73.2
2026 March 10,257 9,850 407 4.0 76.2 73.2
2026 April* 10,250 9,853 397 3.9 76.2 73.3
15 to 24 years 2025 May 1,813 1,654 159 8.8 83.5 76.2
2025 June 1,808 1,651 157 8.7 83.4 76.2
2025 July 1,804 1,652 151 8.4 83.5 76.5
2025 August 1,802 1,646 156 8.6 83.6 76.4
2025 September 1,802 1,643 159 8.8 83.3 76.0
2025 October 1,802 1,640 161 9.0 82.9 75.5
2025 November 1,799 1,636 163 9.1 82.7 75.2
2025 December 1,795 1,631 165 9.2 82.5 75.0
2026 January 1,807 1,639 168 9.3 83.2 75.4
2026 February 1,813 1,645 168 9.2 83.6 75.9
2026 March 1,811 1,651 160 8.9 83.4 76.0
2026 April* 1,807 1,650 157 8.7 83.4 76.2
25 to 44 years 2025 May 4,152 4,024 129 3.1 90.3 87.5
2025 June 4,157 4,027 129 3.1 90.3 87.5
2025 July 4,159 4,026 133 3.2 90.3 87.4
2025 August 4,165 4,027 139 3.3 90.4 87.4
2025 September 4,171 4,031 140 3.4 90.4 87.4
2025 October 4,175 4,035 140 3.3 90.4 87.4
2025 November 4,178 4,041 137 3.3 90.4 87.5
2025 December 4,182 4,045 137 3.3 90.4 87.5
2026 January 4,186 4,045 141 3.4 90.5 87.5
2026 February 4,185 4,042 143 3.4 90.4 87.3
2026 March 4,179 4,039 139 3.3 90.2 87.2
2026 April* 4,176 4,040 136 3.3 90.1 87.2
45 to 74 years 2025 May 4,253 4,155 97 2.3 64.0 62.5
2025 June 4,254 4,154 100 2.3 64.0 62.5
2025 July 4,265 4,161 103 2.4 64.1 62.6
2025 August 4,272 4,166 107 2.5 64.2 62.6
2025 September 4,280 4,170 110 2.6 64.3 62.7
2025 October 4,290 4,180 110 2.6 64.5 62.8
2025 November 4,276 4,169 107 2.5 64.3 62.7
2025 December 4,275 4,167 108 2.5 64.3 62.6
2026 January 4,264 4,159 106 2.5 64.1 62.5
2026 February 4,268 4,162 106 2.5 64.2 62.6
2026 March 4,267 4,160 107 2.5 64.2 62.6
2026 April* 4,267 4,163 104 2.4 64.2 62.6
Men 15 to 74 years 2025 May 5,374 5,179 196 3.6 80.1 77.2
2025 June 5,378 5,180 198 3.7 80.1 77.2
2025 July 5,378 5,178 200 3.7 80.2 77.2
2025 August 5,384 5,178 206 3.8 80.3 77.2
2025 September 5,391 5,185 206 3.8 80.3 77.2
2025 October 5,397 5,184 213 3.9 80.3 77.2
2025 November 5,397 5,189 208 3.9 80.3 77.2
2025 December 5,403 5,190 213 3.9 80.3 77.2
2026 January 5,404 5,186 218 4.0 80.4 77.1
2026 February 5,404 5,191 213 3.9 80.4 77.2
2026 March 5,397 5,191 206 3.8 80.2 77.2
2026 April* 5,400 5,197 204 3.8 80.4 77.3
15 to 24 years 2025 May 919 837 82 8.9 83.2 75.8
2025 June 918 837 82 8.9 83.2 75.9
2025 July 917 839 78 8.5 83.3 76.2
2025 August 915 833 82 9.0 83.4 75.9
2025 September 916 833 84 9.1 83.2 75.6
2025 October 917 832 85 9.3 82.9 75.3
2025 November 916 830 86 9.4 82.7 74.9
2025 December 917 832 85 9.3 82.8 75.1
2026 January 923 835 89 9.6 83.4 75.4
2026 February 924 838 86 9.3 83.6 75.8
2026 March 922 837 84 9.2 83.3 75.7
2026 April* 919 836 83 9.0 83.3 75.8
25 to 44 years 2025 May 2,173 2,109 64 3.0 93.8 91.0
2025 June 2,174 2,108 66 3.0 93.7 90.9
2025 July 2,173 2,105 68 3.1 93.7 90.7
2025 August 2,177 2,108 69 3.2 93.8 90.8
2025 September 2,178 2,111 66 3.0 93.8 90.9
2025 October 2,176 2,107 69 3.2 93.6 90.7
2025 November 2,184 2,119 65 3.0 93.9 91.1
2025 December 2,187 2,119 68 3.1 93.9 91.0
2026 January 2,190 2,119 70 3.2 94.0 91.0
2026 February 2,191 2,121 70 3.2 94.0 91.0
2026 March 2,192 2,127 64 2.9 93.9 91.2
2026 April* 2,193 2,127 65 3.0 94.0 91.2
45 to 74 years 2025 May 2,282 2,233 49 2.2 69.4 67.9
2025 June 2,285 2,235 50 2.2 69.5 68.0
2025 July 2,287 2,234 53 2.3 69.6 68.0
2025 August 2,291 2,236 55 2.4 69.7 68.0
2025 September 2,297 2,241 56 2.5 69.8 68.1
2025 October 2,303 2,244 59 2.6 70.0 68.2
2025 November 2,297 2,240 57 2.5 69.8 68.1
2025 December 2,299 2,239 60 2.6 69.9 68.1
2026 January 2,291 2,232 59 2.6 69.7 67.9
2026 February 2,289 2,232 57 2.5 69.6 67.9
2026 March 2,283 2,227 57 2.5 69.5 67.7
2026 April* 2,289 2,234 55 2.4 69.7 68.0
Women 15 to 74 years 2025 May 4,843 4,654 189 3.9 72.2 69.4
2025 June 4,841 4,652 188 3.9 72.1 69.3
2025 July 4,850 4,661 189 3.9 72.3 69.5
2025 August 4,856 4,661 195 4.0 72.4 69.5
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


This table contains monthly, quarterly and yearly figures on the labour participation and unemployment in the Netherlands. The population of 15 to 75 years old (excluding the institutionalized population) is divided into the employed, the unemployed and the people who are not in in the labour force. The different groups are further broken down by sex and age. Next to the original monthly figures on the labour force you can also find monthly figures that are seasonally adjusted.

Data available from: January 2003

Status of the figures:
The figures for April 2026 are provisional. All the other figures in this table are final.

Changes as of 21 May 2026:
The provisional figures for April 2026 have been added.

When will new figures be published?
New figures on the most recent month are published monthly, in the third week of the month.

Description topics

Labour force
People
- who have paid work (employed labour force), or
- who don’t have paid work, recently looked for work and are directly available for it (unemployed labour force).
This definition concerns people who live in the Netherlands (excluding the institutionalized population). The figures are usually presented for the population aged 15 to 74 years old. Paid work is regardless of the hours worked.
Seasonally adjusted
Figures on the labour force after elimination of seasonal effects. For the yearly figures seasonally adjusted figures are not available because every single year deals with the same seasonal influences.
Employed labour force
People who have paid work.
This definition concerns people who live in the Netherlands (excluding the institutionalized population). The figures are usually presented for the population aged 15 to 74 years old. Paid work is regardless of the hours worked.
Seasonally adjusted
Figures on the employed labour force after elimination of seasonal effects. For the yearly figures seasonally adjusted figures are not available because every single year deals with the same seasonal influences.
Unemployed labour force
People who don’t have paid work, recently looked for work and are directly available for it.
This definition concerns people who live in the Netherlands (excluding the institutionalized population). The figures are usually presented for the population aged 15 to 74 years old. Paid work is regardless of the hours worked.
Seasonally adjusted
Figures on the unemployed labour force after elimination of seasonal effects. For the yearly figures seasonally adjusted figures are not available because every single year deals with the same seasonal influences.
Unemployment rate
The unemployed labour force as a percentage of the (employed and unemployed) labour force.
This definition concerns people who live in the Netherlands (excluding the institutionalized population). The figures are usually presented for the population aged 15 to 74 years old.
Seasonally adjusted
Unemployed labour force as a percentage of the total labour force after elimination of seasonal effects. For the yearly figures seasonally adjusted figures are not available because every single year deals with the same seasonal influences.
Gross labour participation
The percentage of the (employed and unemployed) labour force in the population (labour force and not in the labour force).
This definition concerns people who live in the Netherlands (excluding the institutionalized population). The figures are usually presented for the population aged 15 to 74 years old.
Seasonally adjusted
Employed and unemployed labour force as a percentage of total population aged 15 until 65. For the yearly figures seasonally adjusted figures are not available because every single year deals with the same seasonal influences.
Net labour participation
The percentage of the employed labour force in the population (labour force and not in the labour force).
This definition concerns people who live in the Netherlands (excluding the institutionalized population). The figures are usually presented for the population aged 15 to 74 years old.
Seasonally adjusted
Employed labour force as a percentage of total population aged 15 until 65. For the yearly figures seasonally adjusted figures are not available because every single year deals with the same seasonal influences.