Labour participation; key figures, 2003-2022

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Age Highest educational level Labour force Employed labour force Working hours Full-time (x 1 000)
15 to 74 years Total 4,912
1 Lower education 741
2 Intermediate education 1,722
3 Higher education 2,418
Unknown 31
15 to 24 years Total 368
1 Lower education 79
2 Intermediate education 180
3 Higher education 110
Unknown 0
15 to 64 years Total 4,827
1 Lower education 715
2 Intermediate education 1,691
3 Higher education 2,389
Unknown 31
25 to 44 years Total 2,318
1 Lower education 218
2 Intermediate education 722
3 Higher education 1,364
Unknown 14
25 to 34 years Total 1,280
1 Lower education 86
2 Intermediate education 383
3 Higher education 803
Unknown 8
35 to 44 years Total 1,038
1 Lower education 131
2 Intermediate education 340
3 Higher education 561
Unknown 6
45 to 54 years Total 1,222
1 Lower education 201
2 Intermediate education 439
3 Higher education 574
Unknown 9
45 to 64 years Total 2,141
1 Lower education 419
2 Intermediate education 790
3 Higher education 916
Unknown 16
45 to 74 years Total 2,225
1 Lower education 444
2 Intermediate education 820
3 Higher education 945
Unknown 16
55 to 64 years Total 919
1 Lower education 218
2 Intermediate education 351
3 Higher education 342
Unknown 7
65 to 74 years Total 84
1 Lower education 25
2 Intermediate education 31
3 Higher education 29
Unknown 0
15 to 19 years Total 52
1 Lower education 34
2 Intermediate education 17
3 Higher education 0
Unknown 0
20 to 24 years Total 316
1 Lower education 45
2 Intermediate education 162
3 Higher education 109
Unknown 0
25 to 29 years Total 654
1 Lower education 36
2 Intermediate education 192
3 Higher education 422
Unknown 4
30 to 34 years Total 626
1 Lower education 50
2 Intermediate education 191
3 Higher education 380
Unknown 4
35 to 39 years Total 530
1 Lower education 63
2 Intermediate education 168
3 Higher education 296
Unknown 3
40 to 44 years Total 508
1 Lower education 68
2 Intermediate education 172
3 Higher education 265
Unknown 3
45 to 49 years Total 564
1 Lower education 86
2 Intermediate education 192
3 Higher education 283
Unknown 4
50 to 54 years Total 659
1 Lower education 115
2 Intermediate education 247
3 Higher education 291
Unknown 5
55 to 59 years Total 567
1 Lower education 123
2 Intermediate education 225
3 Higher education 215
Unknown 5
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


This table contains quarterly and yearly figures on labour participation in the Netherlands. The population of 15 to 74 years of age (excluding the institutionalized population) is divided into the employed labour force, the unemployed labour force and those not in the labour force. The employed labour force is subdivided on the basis of the professional status, and the average working hours. A division by sex, age and level of education is available.

Due to changes in the survey design and the questionnaire of the Labour Force Survey (LFS), a revision of the figures for 2021 was carried out in the first quarter of 2022.
As a result, the numbers of 2021 and later will not be comparable to the years 2003-2020.

Data available from 2003 till 2022.

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

Changes as of 20 May 2025
None, the table has been discontinued.

When will new figures be published?
Not applicable. The table is stopped.

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.
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.
Working hours
The number of hours someone works in a normal or average working week.

In the average working hours overtime and unpaid hours are not taken into account.

Full-time
The number of hours that a person works in a normal or average working week is 35 hours or more.

In the average working hours overtime and unpaid hours are not taken into account.