Labour participation; attachment to the labour market

Labour participation; attachment to the labour market

Sex Personal characteristics Registered employment UWV Periods Employed labour force Want to work more hours, available (x 1.000) Employed labour force Doesn’t want more hours or not available (x 1.000) Not employed labour force Unemployed labour force Desired hours of work Full-time (x 1.000) Not employed labour force Unemployed labour force Desired hours of work Unknown (x 1.000) Not employed labour force Unemployed labour force Desired hours of work Part-time Less than 20 hours a week Less than 20 hours a week (x 1.000) Not employed labour force Unemployed labour force Desired hours of work Part-time Less than 20 hours a week Less than 12 hours a week (x 1.000) Not employed labour force Unemployed labour force Desired hours of work Part-time Less than 20 hours a week 12 to 19 hours a week (x 1.000) Not employed labour force Unemployed labour force Desired hours of work Part-time 20 to 34 hours a week (x 1.000)
Total male and female Total persons Total 2023 528 9,209 96 26 109 58 51 128
Total male and female Total persons Registered at an employment office 2023 33 294 40 6 11 3 8 52
Total male and female Total persons Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2023 10 63 19 1 3 1 2 21
Total male and female Total persons Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 2023 24 232 21 5 8 2 6 30
Total male and female Total persons Not registered at an employment office 2023 494 8,915 56 20 98 55 43 77
Total male and female Age: 15 to 24 years Total 2023 248 1,411 22 15 79 49 31 32
Total male and female Age: 15 to 24 years Registered at an employment office 2023 2 16 2 0 1 0 1 4
Total male and female Age: 15 to 24 years Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2023 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 1
Total male and female Age: 15 to 24 years Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 2023 2 14 1 0 1 0 1 3
Total male and female Age: 15 to 24 years Not registered at an employment office 2023 245 1,396 20 15 78 48 30 28
Total male and female Age: 25 to 44 years Total 2023 142 3,785 47 5 13 4 9 52
Total male and female Age: 25 to 44 years Registered at an employment office 2023 16 154 20 3 4 1 3 24
Total male and female Age: 25 to 44 years Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2023 4 28 9 1 0 0 0 9
Total male and female Age: 25 to 44 years Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 2023 13 126 11 2 4 1 3 15
Total male and female Age: 25 to 44 years Not registered at an employment office 2023 125 3,631 27 3 9 3 6 28
Total male and female Age: 25 to 34 years Total 2023 81 1,950 31 3 8 3 5 30
Total male and female Age: 25 to 34 years Registered at an employment office 2023 8 80 12 1 2 1 2 13
Total male and female Age: 25 to 34 years Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2023 1 14 5 0 0 0 0 5
Total male and female Age: 25 to 34 years Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 2023 7 66 6 1 2 1 2 9
Total male and female Age: 25 to 34 years Not registered at an employment office 2023 73 1,870 19 1 5 2 3 17
Total male and female Age: 35 to 44 years Total 2023 61 1,835 16 3 5 1 4 22
Total male and female Age: 35 to 44 years Registered at an employment office 2023 9 75 9 2 2 1 1 11
Total male and female Age: 35 to 44 years Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2023 2 14 4 1 0 0 0 4
Total male and female Age: 35 to 44 years Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 2023 6 60 5 1 2 1 1 6
Total male and female Age: 35 to 44 years Not registered at an employment office 2023 52 1,761 8 1 3 1 3 11
Total male and female Age: 45 to 74 years Total 2023 138 4,013 26 6 16 5 12 44
Total male and female Age: 45 to 74 years Registered at an employment office 2023 15 124 17 3 5 1 4 24
Total male and female Age: 45 to 74 years Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2023 6 32 9 1 2 0 2 11
Total male and female Age: 45 to 74 years Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 2023 9 92 8 2 3 1 2 12
Total male and female Age: 45 to 74 years Not registered at an employment office 2023 124 3,888 9 3 11 3 8 20
Total male and female Age: 45 to 54 years Total 2023 72 1,904 13 2 3 1 3 18
Total male and female Age: 45 to 54 years Registered at an employment office 2023 7 61 8 1 1 1 1 9
Total male and female Age: 45 to 54 years Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2023 3 16 4 0 0 0 0 3
Total male and female Age: 45 to 54 years Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 2023 4 46 3 1 1 1 1 5
Total male and female Age: 45 to 54 years Not registered at an employment office 2023 66 1,842 5 1 2 0 2 9
Total male and female Age: 55 to 64 years Total 2023 55 1,771 12 2 7 2 6 20
Total male and female Age: 55 to 64 years Registered at an employment office 2023 7 57 9 2 3 1 3 13
Total male and female Age: 55 to 64 years Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2023 3 15 4 0 1 0 1 7
Total male and female Age: 55 to 64 years Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 2023 5 42 5 1 2 0 1 6
Total male and female Age: 55 to 64 years Not registered at an employment office 2023 47 1,714 3 1 4 1 3 8
Total male and female Age: 65 to 74 years Total 2023 12 338 1 2 6 2 4 6
Total male and female Age: 65 to 74 years Registered at an employment office 2023 1 6 1 1 1 0 0 2
Total male and female Age: 65 to 74 years Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2023 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
Total male and female Age: 65 to 74 years Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 2023 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 1
Total male and female Age: 65 to 74 years Not registered at an employment office 2023 11 332 0 1 5 2 3 3
Total male and female Level of educ: 1. Low Total 2023 164 1,807 22 13 55 36 19 29
Total male and female Level of educ: 1. Low Registered at an employment office 2023 10 96 11 3 3 1 2 11
Total male and female Level of educ: 1. Low Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2023 2 14 3 0 1 0 0 3
Total male and female Level of educ: 1. Low Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 2023 8 82 8 2 3 1 2 8
Total male and female Level of educ: 1. Low Not registered at an employment office 2023 154 1,710 11 10 52 36 16 18
Total male and female Level of educ: 2 Intermediate Total 2023 213 3,507 31 8 36 15 22 49
Total male and female Level of educ: 2 Intermediate Registered at an employment office 2023 12 115 13 2 4 1 3 23
Total male and female Level of educ: 2 Intermediate Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2023 3 25 7 0 2 0 1 9
Total male and female Level of educ: 2 Intermediate Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 2023 9 90 6 2 3 1 2 14
Total male and female Level of educ: 2 Intermediate Not registered at an employment office 2023 201 3,392 17 6 32 14 19 26
Total male and female Level of educ: 3 High Total 2023 149 3,859 42 5 17 7 10 50
Total male and female Level of educ: 3 High Registered at an employment office 2023 11 80 14 2 3 1 2 17
Total male and female Level of educ: 3 High Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2023 4 23 8 1 0 0 0 9
Total male and female Level of educ: 3 High Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 2023 7 57 6 1 3 1 2 8
Total male and female Level of educ: 3 High Not registered at an employment office 2023 137 3,778 27 3 14 5 8 33
Total male and female Level of educ: unknown Total 2023 2 37 1 0 0 0 0 1
Total male and female Level of educ: unknown Registered at an employment office 2023 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 1
Total male and female Level of educ: unknown Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2023 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total male and female Level of educ: unknown Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 2023 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total male and female Level of educ: unknown Not registered at an employment office 2023 2 34 0 0 0 0 0 0
Male Total persons Total 2023 206 4,939 68 12 46 26 20 53
Male Total persons Registered at an employment office 2023 16 159 31 3 3 1 2 21
Male Total persons Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2023 4 33 13 1 0 0 0 7
Male Total persons Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 2023 12 126 18 3 2 1 2 14
Male Total persons Not registered at an employment office 2023 190 4,781 37 9 43 25 18 32
Male Age: 15 to 24 years Total 2023 121 725 15 7 38 23 14 17
Male Age: 15 to 24 years Registered at an employment office 2023 1 7 2 0 1 0 1 2
Male Age: 15 to 24 years Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2023 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
Male Age: 15 to 24 years Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 2023 1 7 1 0 1 0 1 1
Male Age: 15 to 24 years Not registered at an employment office 2023 119 717 13 7 37 23 14 15
Male Age: 25 to 44 years Total 2023 48 2,006 32 2 4 1 2 19
Male Age: 25 to 44 years Registered at an employment office 2023 8 85 15 1 1 0 1 10
Male Age: 25 to 44 years Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2023 2 14 6 0 0 0 0 3
Male Age: 25 to 44 years Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 2023 7 71 9 1 1 0 1 7
Male Age: 25 to 44 years Not registered at an employment office 2023 40 1,921 17 1 2 1 2 9
Male Age: 25 to 34 years Total 2023 34 1,027 21 1 3 1 2 12
Male Age: 25 to 34 years Registered at an employment office 2023 4 44 8 0 1 0 0 6
Male Age: 25 to 34 years Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2023 1 7 3 0 0 0 0 1
Male Age: 25 to 34 years Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 2023 4 38 5 0 1 0 0 4
Male Age: 25 to 34 years Not registered at an employment office 2023 30 983 12 1 2 1 1 6
Male Age: 35 to 44 years Total 2023 15 979 12 1 1 0 1 7
Male Age: 35 to 44 years Registered at an employment office 2023 4 40 7 1 0 0 0 5
Male Age: 35 to 44 years Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2023 1 7 3 0 0 0 0 2
Male Age: 35 to 44 years Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 2023 3 33 4 1 0 0 0 3
Male Age: 35 to 44 years Not registered at an employment office 2023 10 939 5 0 0 0 0 2
Male Age: 45 to 74 years Total 2023 36 2,209 21 3 5 2 3 17
Male Age: 45 to 74 years Registered at an employment office 2023 6 66 14 2 1 0 1 9
Male Age: 45 to 74 years Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2023 2 18 7 0 0 0 0 4
Male Age: 45 to 74 years Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 2023 4 49 7 1 1 0 1 5
Male Age: 45 to 74 years Not registered at an employment office 2023 30 2,142 7 1 4 1 3 8
Male Age: 45 to 54 years Total 2023 14 1,004 10 1 1 0 0 6
Male Age: 45 to 54 years Registered at an employment office 2023 2 32 6 1 1 0 0 3
Male Age: 45 to 54 years Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2023 1 8 3 0 0 0 0 1
Male Age: 45 to 54 years Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 2023 2 24 3 1 1 0 0 2
Male Age: 45 to 54 years Not registered at an employment office 2023 12 972 4 1 0 0 0 3
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Dataset is not available.


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.

Data available from: 2013

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

Changes as of February 14, 2024:
The figures for 4th quarter and the year 2023 are added.

Changes as of August 23, 2022:
None, this is a new table. This table has been compiled on the basis of the Labor Force Survey (LFS). Due to changes in the research design and the questionnaire of the LFS, the figures for 2021 are not automatically comparable with the figures up to and including 2020. The key figures in this table have therefore been made consistent with the (non-seasonally adjusted) figures in the table Arbeidsdeelname, kerncijfers seizoengecorrigeerd (see section 4), in which the outcomes for the period 2013-2020 have been recalculated to align with the outcomes from 2021. When further detailing the outcomes according to job and personal characteristics, there may nevertheless be differences from 2020 to 2021 as a result of the new method.

When will new figures be released?
New figures will be published on May 15, 2024.

Description topics

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.
Want to work more hours, available
This group consists of people who work part-time (less than 35 hours a week) in their first job and want to work more hours within six months, assuming that their earnings also change. They are immediately available for this. The comparable term used by Eurostat is underemployed.

Up to and including 2012 it was assumed that people who work 12 hours or more a week and want to work more hours, cannot start within two weeks. This group was therefore not asked if they could start within two weeks. The questionnaire has now been adjusted so that the respondent will receive this question. The number of people that can start within two weeks is therefore greater than before and the remaining part of the employed labour force that does not want to work more hours or is not available, is therefore (equally) lower.

Doesn’t want more hours or not available
This group consists of people:
- who work full-time (35 hours or more a week) in their first job;
- who work part-time (less than 35 hours a week) in their first job and do not want to work more hours within six months (assuming that their earnings also change);
- who work part-time (less than 35 hours a week) in their first job, want to work more hours within six months, but are not immediately available for this;

Up to and including 2012 it was assumed that people who work 12 hours or more a week and want to work more hours, cannot start within two weeks. This group was therefore not asked if they could start within two weeks. The questionnaire has now been adjusted so that the respondent will receive this question. The number of people that can start within two weeks is therefore greater than before and the remaining part of the employed labour force that does not want to work more hours or is not available, is therefore (equally) lower.
Not employed labour force
People who don't 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. The non-employed population consists of the unemployed labour force and the people not in the labour force. Paid work is regardless of the hours worked.
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.

Desired hours of work
The number of hours someone wants to works in a normal or average working week.
Part-time
Person wants to work part-time, up to 35 hours a week.
Less than 20 hours a week
Person wants to work part-time, up to 20 hours a week.
Less than 20 hours a week
Person wants to work part-time, up to 20 hours a week.
Less than 12 hours a week
Person wants to work part-time, up to 12 hours a week.
12 to 19 hours a week
Person wants to work part-time, 12 to 19 hours a week.
20 to 34 hours a week
Person wants to work part-time, 20 to 34 hours a week.
Full-time
Person wants to work part-time, 35 hours a week or more.
Unknown
It is unknown how many hours a person wants to work.