Caribbean Netherlands; labour participation, key figures

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Sex Age Level of education Labour force and not in the labour force (number) Labour force Labour force (number) Labour force Employed labour force Employed labour force (number) Labour force Employed labour force Professional status Employee Employee (number) Labour force Employed labour force Professional status Employee Permanent employee (number) Labour force Employed labour force Professional status Employee Temporary employee (number) Labour force Employed labour force Professional status Self-employed person Self-employed person (number) Labour force Employed labour force Professional status Self-employed person Self-employed without employees (number) Labour force Employed labour force Professional status Self-employed person Self-employed with employees (number) Labour force Employed labour force Professional status Self-employed person Contributing family worker (number)
Total male and female 15 to 74 years Total 24,000 17,960 17,540 15,190 12,630 2,550 2,360 1,370 730 260
1 Lower education 10,570 7,130 6,880 5,930 4,810 1,120 950 570 210 170
2 Intermediate education 8,770 7,050 6,900 6,250 5,130 1,120 660 280 320 60
3 Higher education 4,250 3,460 3,440 2,750 2,430 310 700 490 190 20
Unknown 420 320 310 270 260 10 50 40 0 10
15 to 24 years Total 2,920 1,490 1,430 1,350 830 530 80 60 0 20
1 Lower education 1,290 550 530 480 290 190 50 40 0 10
2 Intermediate education 1,450 840 800 770 480 290 30 20 0 10
3 Higher education 140 90 90 90 40 50 0 0 0 0
Unknown 50 20 20 20 20 0 0 0 0 0
25 to 44 years Total 9,450 8,710 8,530 7,620 6,180 1,440 910 580 210 110
1 Lower education 3,280 2,890 2,790 2,460 1,940 530 320 220 30 80
2 Intermediate education 4,120 3,920 3,850 3,530 2,850 680 320 130 160 30
3 Higher education 1,870 1,720 1,720 1,490 1,270 220 230 200 30 0
Unknown 190 180 170 140 130 10 30 30 0 0
25 to 34 years Total 4,510 4,160 4,070 3,730 2,870 860 340 210 60 80
1 Lower education 1,420 1,310 1,270 1,160 850 320 110 60 0 50
2 Intermediate education 2,060 1,950 1,910 1,760 1,380 380 150 70 50 30
3 Higher education 940 820 820 740 570 170 80 80 0 0
Unknown 90 80 80 70 70 0 10 10 0 0
35 to 44 years Total 4,950 4,560 4,450 3,890 3,320 580 560 370 160 40
1 Lower education 1,860 1,590 1,520 1,300 1,090 210 220 160 20 30
2 Intermediate education 2,060 1,970 1,940 1,770 1,460 310 170 60 110 0
3 Higher education 930 900 900 750 700 50 150 120 30 0
Unknown 100 100 100 70 70 10 30 20 0 0
45 to 54 years Total 4,270 3,780 3,690 3,090 2,820 270 600 270 300 40
1 Lower education 1,870 1,620 1,540 1,290 1,150 130 250 100 120 30
2 Intermediate education 1,360 1,230 1,220 1,080 980 100 130 50 70 10
3 Higher education 950 870 870 660 630 40 200 110 100 0
Unknown 80 70 70 60 60 0 10 10 0 0
45 to 74 years Total 11,630 7,750 7,590 6,210 5,620 590 1,370 740 510 120
1 Lower education 6,000 3,680 3,570 2,990 2,590 400 580 310 190 80
2 Intermediate education 3,200 2,300 2,260 1,950 1,800 150 310 130 160 20
3 Higher education 2,250 1,650 1,640 1,170 1,130 50 470 290 170 20
Unknown 180 120 120 110 110 0 10 10 0 0
55 to 64 years Total 4,590 3,450 3,400 2,860 2,620 240 540 290 180 80
1 Lower education 2,530 1,780 1,760 1,530 1,340 200 230 140 30 50
2 Intermediate education 1,180 940 910 800 770 30 110 30 80 0
3 Higher education 820 680 670 470 470 10 200 120 60 20
Unknown 60 60 60 50 50 0 10 0 0 0
65 to 74 years Total 2,780 530 500 270 190 80 230 180 40 10
1 Lower education 1,600 290 270 170 100 70 100 70 30 0
2 Intermediate education 660 130 130 60 50 20 70 50 10 10
3 Higher education 480 110 100 40 40 0 70 60 0 0
Unknown 40 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Male 15 to 74 years Total 12,530 9,550 9,270 7,740 6,310 1,420 1,530 830 530 170
1 Lower education 6,180 4,450 4,290 3,580 2,880 710 700 430 160 110
2 Intermediate education 4,070 3,290 3,190 2,760 2,220 540 430 160 230 40
3 Higher education 1,960 1,560 1,540 1,180 1,010 170 370 210 140 20
Unknown 320 250 250 210 210 0 40 30 0 0
15 to 24 years Total 1,540 740 710 650 390 260 60 60 0 10
1 Lower education 800 360 350 310 210 100 40 40 0 0
2 Intermediate education 650 340 310 290 150 130 30 20 0 10
3 Higher education 50 30 30 30 10 20 0 0 0 0
Unknown 50 20 20 20 20 0 0 0 0 0
25 to 44 years Total 4,910 4,530 4,390 3,870 3,120 750 520 300 150 80
1 Lower education 2,050 1,830 1,740 1,500 1,190 310 240 180 20 50
2 Intermediate education 2,000 1,940 1,890 1,690 1,360 330 190 50 120 30
3 Higher education 710 620 620 570 450 120 60 50 10 0
Unknown 150 140 140 120 110 0 30 20 0 0
25 to 34 years Total 2,290 2,130 2,060 1,880 1,430 450 180 80 30 70
1 Lower education 930 900 870 760 530 230 100 60 0 50
2 Intermediate education 1,000 950 920 860 700 150 60 10 30 30
3 Higher education 300 230 220 220 150 70 10 10 0 0
Unknown 60 50 50 50 50 0 10 10 0 0
35 to 44 years Total 2,610 2,410 2,330 1,990 1,690 300 340 220 120 0
1 Lower education 1,110 930 880 740 660 70 140 120 20 0
2 Intermediate education 1,000 990 970 840 660 180 130 40 90 0
3 Higher education 400 400 400 350 300 50 50 40 10 0
Unknown 90 90 90 70 60 0 20 20 0 0
45 to 54 years Total 2,210 1,980 1,940 1,560 1,380 180 380 120 230 30
1 Lower education 1,140 1,030 990 790 700 90 200 80 90 30
2 Intermediate education 560 490 490 390 340 50 100 30 60 10
3 Higher education 460 410 410 330 300 30 80 0 80 0
Unknown 60 50 50 40 40 0 10 10 0 0
45 to 74 years Total 6,080 4,270 4,160 3,210 2,800 410 950 480 380 90
1 Lower education 3,340 2,270 2,190 1,770 1,470 300 420 220 140 60
2 Intermediate education 1,420 1,010 990 780 700 80 210 90 110 10
3 Higher education 1,210 910 890 580 550 40 310 160 130 20
Unknown 120 90 90 80 80 0 10 10 0 0
55 to 64 years Total 2,430 1,950 1,910 1,520 1,340 180 390 220 110 60
1 Lower education 1,340 1,020 1,010 870 720 150 140 90 20 40
2 Intermediate education 530 470 440 370 340 20 80 30 50 0
3 Higher education 520 420 420 250 250 0 170 100 50 20
Unknown 50 40 40 40 40 0 10 0 0 0
65 to 74 years Total 1,440 340 320 140 80 60 180 150 40 0
1 Lower education 860 220 200 110 50 60 90 60 30 0
2 Intermediate education 340 50 50 20 20 0 30 30 0 0
3 Higher education 230 70 70 10 10 0 60 60 0 0
Unknown 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Female 15 to 74 years Total 11,380 8,360 8,220 7,400 6,300 1,100 820 540 200 80
1 Lower education 4,310 2,650 2,570 2,310 1,920 390 250 130 50 70
2 Intermediate education 4,680 3,740 3,700 3,470 2,910 560 230 120 90 10
3 Higher education 2,290 1,900 1,900 1,570 1,430 140 330 280 50 0
Unknown 100 70 60 60 50 0 10 0 0 0
15 to 24 years Total 1,360 750 720 700 430 270 10 0 0 10
1 Lower education 470 190 180 160 70 90 10 0 0 10
2 Intermediate education 800 510 490 490 330 160 0 0 0 0
3 Higher education 90 60 60 60 30 30 0 0 0 0
Unknown 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


This table contains yearly figures on labour participation for the special municipalities Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba (the Caribbean 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.

Data available from: 2012

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

Changes as of 7 July 2025:
The figures of 2024 are added.

Changes as of 30 October 2024:
The number of self-employed for the reporting years 2020 and 2022 has been corrected. The correction concerns a slight upward revision of the number of self-employed persons. The cause was an error in the software that deduces whether someone is self-employed based on the answers in the questionnaire. As a result, for some records the position in the job remained unknown, whereas it should have been self-employed (with employees). This has now been corrected.

Changes as of 26 April 2019:
The figures of 2018 are added.
The figures about the highest level of education have been revised. The revision concerns people who attended common years of education (avo). Where they previously had an intermediate level of education, they now receive a low level of education, following the format used for the European Netherlands.

When will new figures be published?
New figures will be published every two years.

Description topics

Labour force and not in the labour force
People who are part of the employed labour force, the unemployed labour force or who are not in the labour force.

This definition concerns people who live in the Caribbean Netherlands (excluding the institutionalized population). The figures are usually presented for the population aged 15 to 74 years old.

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 Caribbean 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.
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 Caribbean 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 Caribbean 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 Caribbean Netherlands (excluding the institutionalized population). The figures are usually presented for the population aged 15 to 75 years old. Paid work is regardless of the hours worked.

Professional status
Classification of the employed labour force into:
Employee
-  permanent
-  temporary
Self-employed
-  without employees (solo self-employed)
-  with employees
-  contributing family worker

When a person has more than one job, the job in which most hours are worked, is used.
Employee
A person who makes arrangements in a collective agreement for labour purposes and who is being paid in return.

When a person has more than one job, the job in which most hours are worked, is used.

Employee
A person who makes arrangements in a collective agreement for labour purposes and who is being paid in return.

When a person has more than one job, the job in which most hours are worked, is used.

Permanent employee
An employee with an employment contract for an indefinite period.

When a person has more than one job, the job in which most hours are worked, is used.


Temporary employee
An employee with an employment contract for a limited period.

When a person has more than one job, the job in which most hours are worked, is used.
Self-employed person
A person who works for his/her own account and risk
-  in an own company or practice (self-employed entrepreneur), or
-  as an owner-manager, or
-  in the company or practice of a family member (contributing family worker), or
-  as another self-employed person (for example in an independent profession).

When a person has more than one job, the job in which most hours are worked, is used.
Self-employed person
A person who works for his/her own account and risk
-  in an own company or practice (self-employed entrepreneur), or
-  as an owner-manager, or
-  in the company or practice of a family member (contributing family worker), or
-  as another self-employed person (for example in an independent profession).

When a person has more than one job, the job in which most hours are worked, is used.
Self-employed without employees
A person who works for his/her own account and risk
-  in an own company or practice (self-employed entrepreneur), or
-  as an owner-manager, or
-  as another self-employed person (for example in an independent profession), and
-  who has no employees.

When a person has more than one job, the job in which most hours are worked, is used.

Self-employed with employees
A person who works for his/her own account and risk
-  in an own company or practice (self-employed entrepreneur), or
-  as an owner-manager, and
-  who has employees.
-  
When a person has more than one job, the job in which most hours are worked, is used.

Contributing family worker
A person who works, not on the basis of a an explicit employment contract, in the company or practice of the partner or parents.

When a person has more than one job, the job in which most hours are worked, is used.