Caribbean Netherlands; labour participation, key figures

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Age Level of education Caribbean Netherlands 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)
15 to 74 years Total Caribbean Netherlands 24,000 17,960 17,540 15,190 12,630 2,550 2,360 1,370 730 260
Bonaire 19,900 15,000 14,680 12,710 10,420 2,290 1,970 1,120 620 230
St. Eustatius 2,470 1,840 1,760 1,510 1,400 110 250 160 80 10
Saba 1,640 1,120 1,100 970 810 160 130 90 30 20
1 Lower education Caribbean Netherlands 10,570 7,130 6,880 5,930 4,810 1,120 950 570 210 170
Bonaire 8,790 5,990 5,800 5,010 3,990 1,020 790 430 180 170
St. Eustatius 1,300 860 810 680 620 60 130 100 30 0
Saba 480 280 280 240 200 40 40 30 0 0
2 Intermediate education Caribbean Netherlands 8,770 7,050 6,900 6,250 5,130 1,120 660 280 320 60
Bonaire 7,470 5,980 5,850 5,320 4,310 1,010 530 230 260 40
St. Eustatius 720 610 600 510 470 40 80 30 50 10
Saba 580 470 460 420 350 70 40 20 10 10
3 Higher education Caribbean Netherlands 4,250 3,460 3,440 2,750 2,430 310 700 490 190 20
Bonaire 3,430 2,850 2,850 2,220 1,960 260 630 440 170 20
St. Eustatius 340 310 300 270 260 10 30 20 10 0
Saba 490 300 300 250 220 40 40 30 10 0
Unknown Caribbean Netherlands 420 320 310 270 260 10 50 40 0 10
Bonaire 210 190 190 170 170 0 20 20 0 0
St. Eustatius 120 70 60 50 50 0 20 10 0 0
Saba 90 60 60 50 50 10 10 10 0 0
15 to 24 years Total Caribbean Netherlands 2,920 1,490 1,430 1,350 830 530 80 60 0 20
Bonaire 2,420 1,290 1,250 1,200 710 490 60 40 0 10
St. Eustatius 300 120 90 80 70 10 20 20 0 0
Saba 210 90 90 80 50 40 10 0 0 10
1 Lower education Caribbean Netherlands 1,290 550 530 480 290 190 50 40 0 10
Bonaire 1,000 470 470 430 240 190 40 20 0 10
St. Eustatius 230 70 50 30 30 0 20 20 0 0
Saba 60 10 10 10 10 0 0 0 0 0
2 Intermediate education Caribbean Netherlands 1,450 840 800 770 480 290 30 20 0 10
Bonaire 1,330 740 710 690 440 250 20 20 0 0
St. Eustatius 40 30 20 20 20 10 0 0 0 0
Saba 90 70 70 60 30 30 10 0 0 10
3 Higher education Caribbean Netherlands 140 90 90 90 40 50 0 0 0 0
Bonaire 60 60 60 60 20 40 0 0 0 0
St. Eustatius 20 20 20 20 20 0 0 0 0 0
Saba 60 10 10 10 0 10 0 0 0 0
Unknown Caribbean Netherlands 50 20 20 20 20 0 0 0 0 0
Bonaire 30 20 20 20 20 0 0 0 0 0
St. Eustatius 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Saba 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
25 to 44 years Total Caribbean Netherlands 9,450 8,710 8,530 7,620 6,180 1,440 910 580 210 110
Bonaire 7,840 7,310 7,160 6,380 5,100 1,280 780 500 180 110
St. Eustatius 900 840 810 730 660 70 80 60 20 0
Saba 710 570 550 510 430 90 40 20 20 10
1 Lower education Caribbean Netherlands 3,280 2,890 2,790 2,460 1,940 530 320 220 30 80
Bonaire 2,740 2,410 2,320 2,040 1,590 450 280 180 20 80
St. Eustatius 410 370 360 320 280 50 40 30 0 0
Saba 130 110 100 100 70 30 10 10 0 0
2 Intermediate education Caribbean Netherlands 4,120 3,920 3,850 3,530 2,850 680 320 130 160 30
Bonaire 3,560 3,390 3,340 3,060 2,420 640 280 110 140 30
St. Eustatius 300 290 280 260 240 20 20 10 10 0
Saba 250 240 230 210 190 20 20 10 10 0
3 Higher education Caribbean Netherlands 1,870 1,720 1,720 1,490 1,270 220 230 200 30 0
Bonaire 1,440 1,390 1,390 1,190 1,000 190 200 190 20 0
St. Eustatius 140 130 130 120 110 10 10 10 10 0
Saba 290 200 200 180 150 20 20 10 0 0
Unknown Caribbean Netherlands 190 180 170 140 130 10 30 30 0 0
Bonaire 110 110 110 90 90 0 20 20 0 0
St. Eustatius 50 40 40 30 30 0 10 10 0 0
Saba 30 30 30 20 20 10 0 0 0 0
25 to 34 years Total Caribbean Netherlands 4,510 4,160 4,070 3,730 2,870 860 340 210 60 80
Bonaire 3,730 3,520 3,460 3,160 2,380 780 300 180 50 70
St. Eustatius 390 360 340 320 280 40 20 20 0 0
Saba 380 280 270 250 210 50 20 10 10 0
1 Lower education Caribbean Netherlands 1,420 1,310 1,270 1,160 850 320 110 60 0 50
Bonaire 1,190 1,110 1,080 980 700 280 100 60 0 50
St. Eustatius 170 150 140 130 120 20 10 0 0 0
Saba 60 50 50 50 40 20 0 0 0 0
2 Intermediate education Caribbean Netherlands 2,060 1,950 1,910 1,760 1,380 380 150 70 50 30
Bonaire 1,790 1,700 1,670 1,530 1,190 340 130 60 50 30
St. Eustatius 130 120 120 110 100 10 0 0 0 0
Saba 140 130 130 110 100 20 10 10 10 0
3 Higher education Caribbean Netherlands 940 820 820 740 570 170 80 80 0 0
Bonaire 690 660 660 600 450 150 70 70 0 0
St. Eustatius 70 60 60 60 50 10 10 10 0 0
Saba 180 90 90 80 70 10 10 10 0 0
Unknown Caribbean Netherlands 90 80 80 70 70 0 10 10 0 0
Bonaire 50 50 50 50 50 0 0 0 0 0
St. Eustatius 30 30 20 10 10 0 10 10 0 0
Saba 10 10 10 10 10 0 0 0 0 0
35 to 44 years Total Caribbean Netherlands 4,950 4,560 4,450 3,890 3,320 580 560 370 160 40
Bonaire 4,110 3,790 3,700 3,220 2,720 500 480 320 130 30
St. Eustatius 510 480 470 410 380 40 60 40 20 0
Saba 330 280 280 260 220 40 20 10 10 0
1 Lower education Caribbean Netherlands 1,860 1,590 1,520 1,300 1,090 210 220 160 20 30
Bonaire 1,540 1,310 1,240 1,070 900 170 180 130 20 30
St. Eustatius 240 230 220 190 160 30 30 30 0 0
Saba 70 50 50 50 30 20 10 10 0 0
2 Intermediate education Caribbean Netherlands 2,060 1,970 1,940 1,770 1,460 310 170 60 110 0
Bonaire 1,770 1,700 1,670 1,520 1,230 290 150 60 90 0
St. Eustatius 170 170 170 150 140 10 20 10 10 0
Saba 120 100 100 100 90 10 0 0 0 0
3 Higher education Caribbean Netherlands 930 900 900 750 700 50 150 120 30 0
Bonaire 740 730 730 600 560 40 130 120 20 0
St. Eustatius 70 70 70 60 60 0 10 0 10 0
Saba 120 110 110 100 80 10 10 10 0 0
Unknown Caribbean Netherlands 100 100 100 70 70 10 30 20 0 0
Bonaire 60 60 60 40 40 0 20 20 0 0
St. Eustatius 20 20 20 10 10 0 0 0 0 0
Saba 30 20 20 20 10 10 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.