Labour participation; attachment to the labour market

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Sex Personal characteristics Registered employment UWV Employed labour force Want to work more hours, 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 Not in the labour force Available to work, but not seeking Available to work, but not seeking (x 1.000) Not employed labour force Not in the labour force Available to work, but not seeking Because of discouragement (x 1.000) Not employed labour force Not in the labour force Available to work, but not seeking Because of other reason (x 1.000) Not employed labour force Not in the labour force Seeking work, but not available (x 1.000) Not employed labour force Not in the labour force Not seeking work, not available Not seeking work, not available (x 1.000) Not employed labour force Not in the labour force Not seeking work, not available Want to work (x 1.000) Not employed labour force Not in the labour force Not seeking work, not available Doesn’t want to or can’t work Doesn’t want to or can’t work (x 1.000) Not employed labour force Not in the labour force Not seeking work, not available Doesn’t want to or can’t work Because of family/household care (x 1.000) Not employed labour force Not in the labour force Not seeking work, not available Doesn’t want to or can’t work Because of education (x 1.000) Not employed labour force Not in the labour force Not seeking work, not available Doesn’t want to or can’t work Because of retirement/old age (x 1.000) Not employed labour force Not in the labour force Not seeking work, not available Doesn’t want to or can’t work Because of illness/disability (x 1.000) Not employed labour force Not in the labour force Not seeking work, not available Doesn’t want to or can’t work Because of other reason (x 1.000)
Total male and female Total persons Total 522 115 30 187 19 167 110 2,866 . . 253 237 1,430 848 98
Registered at an employment office 35 50 8 35 6 29 38 461 . . 38 38 27 329 28
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 11 31 2 6 0 6 13 18 . . 1 2 4 9 2
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 24 19 6 28 5 23 26 443 . . 37 36 23 321 27
Not registered at an employment office 486 65 22 152 14 139 72 2,406 . . 215 200 1,403 518 70
Age: 15 to 24 years Total 257 28 17 68 2 66 32 235 . . 4 182 0 34 15
Registered at an employment office 4 3 1 4 0 4 3 28 . . 1 10 0 13 4
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 . . 0 0 0 1 0
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 3 1 1 4 0 4 3 27 . . 1 10 0 12 3
Not registered at an employment office 253 25 16 64 2 62 30 207 . . 3 172 0 21 11
Age: 25 to 44 years Total 149 57 7 38 4 34 41 370 . . 93 47 0 198 32
Registered at an employment office 18 27 4 15 1 14 17 146 . . 21 22 0 93 10
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 5 16 0 3 0 3 6 5 . . 1 1 0 4 0
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 13 11 4 12 1 11 11 140 . . 20 21 0 89 10
Not registered at an employment office 131 30 3 23 2 20 24 224 . . 72 25 0 106 22
Age: 25 to 34 years Total 78 36 3 22 2 20 22 167 . . 33 34 0 79 22
Registered at an employment office 7 15 2 6 1 5 7 68 . . 8 15 0 39 6
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2 9 0 1 0 1 2 3 . . 0 0 0 2 0
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 6 6 1 5 1 4 6 66 . . 8 15 0 37 6
Not registered at an employment office 71 21 1 16 1 15 15 99 . . 25 19 0 40 16
Age: 35 to 44 years Total 71 22 3 16 2 14 19 202 . . 60 13 0 120 10
Registered at an employment office 11 12 2 10 1 9 10 77 . . 13 7 0 54 4
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 4 7 0 3 0 3 4 3 . . 0 0 0 2 0
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 7 5 2 7 1 6 5 75 . . 12 7 0 52 4
Not registered at an employment office 60 9 1 6 1 5 9 125 . . 47 6 0 66 6
Age: 45 to 74 years Total 115 29 6 81 14 67 37 2,262 . . 157 8 1,430 616 52
Registered at an employment office 13 21 3 15 4 11 19 288 . . 16 5 27 223 15
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 5 14 1 3 0 3 7 12 . . 1 1 4 4 2
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 8 7 2 13 4 9 12 275 . . 16 5 23 219 13
Not registered at an employment office 102 9 3 66 10 56 18 1,974 . . 140 3 1,402 392 37
Age: 45 to 54 years Total 55 15 1 15 1 14 14 255 . . 43 6 3 188 14
Registered at an employment office 7 10 0 6 1 5 8 101 . . 9 5 0 82 6
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 3 7 0 0 0 0 3 3 . . 0 1 0 1 0
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 4 3 0 5 1 4 5 99 . . 8 4 0 81 5
Not registered at an employment office 48 5 1 9 0 9 6 153 . . 35 1 3 106 9
Age: 55 to 64 years Total 49 13 3 26 6 19 14 509 . . 72 2 101 309 26
Registered at an employment office 6 10 2 8 2 5 10 139 . . 5 1 5 120 8
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2 7 1 2 0 2 4 4 . . 0 0 0 3 1
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 4 3 1 6 2 4 6 135 . . 5 1 5 118 7
Not registered at an employment office 43 4 1 18 4 14 5 370 . . 66 1 96 189 18
Age: 65 to 74 years Total 11 1 2 40 6 34 9 1,498 . . 41 0 1,325 119 12
Registered at an employment office 0 1 1 2 1 1 1 47 . . 2 0 22 21 2
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 5 . . 0 0 4 0 0
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 42 . . 2 0 18 21 1
Not registered at an employment office 11 0 1 38 5 33 7 1,451 . . 39 0 1,304 98 10
1 Primary, lower secondary Total 147 21 15 67 5 62 32 1,183 . . 96 109 553 381 45
Registered at an employment office 11 11 3 14 2 12 12 225 . . 21 17 13 157 16
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 3 5 1 3 0 3 3 6 . . 1 0 2 2 1
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 8 5 3 11 2 9 8 219 . . 20 16 11 155 16
Not registered at an employment office 136 10 12 53 3 49 21 958 . . 75 92 539 224 28
2 Upper secondary Total 200 30 9 63 7 56 40 970 . . 90 84 467 300 29
Registered at an employment office 13 15 3 12 2 10 16 155 . . 11 12 8 117 7
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 4 9 1 2 0 2 5 7 . . 1 0 1 4 0
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 9 6 2 10 2 8 10 147 . . 10 12 6 113 6
Not registered at an employment office 187 15 7 51 5 46 24 816 . . 79 72 460 183 22
3 Tertiary Total 173 63 5 56 7 49 36 678 . . 60 44 401 150 22
Registered at an employment office 11 25 2 9 2 7 11 69 . . 4 9 6 46 4
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 4 17 0 1 0 1 4 4 . . 0 1 1 2 1
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 7 8 1 7 2 5 6 65 . . 4 8 5 44 4
Not registered at an employment office 161 39 3 47 5 42 25 608 . . 56 35 396 104 18
Level of educ: unknown Total 2 0 0 1 0 1 2 35 . . 7 0 9 16 2
Registered at an employment office 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 12 . . 2 0 0 8 1
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 . . 0 0 0 0 0
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 12 . . 2 0 0 8 1
Not registered at an employment office 2 0 0 1 0 1 1 23 . . 5 0 8 8 1
Male Total persons Total 203 79 15 109 8 100 49 1,157 . . 25 124 635 327 46
Registered at an employment office 16 35 4 20 3 17 17 182 . . 4 19 12 131 15
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 4 22 1 4 0 4 5 8 . . 0 1 2 3 1
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 11 14 4 17 3 13 12 174 . . 4 18 10 128 14
Not registered at an employment office 188 44 10 88 5 83 32 975 . . 21 105 622 196 31
Age: 15 to 24 years Total 120 19 10 39 1 38 15 119 . . 1 98 0 12 8
Registered at an employment office 2 2 0 3 0 3 1 11 . . 0 6 0 4 2
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 . . 0 0 0 0 0
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 2 1 0 3 0 3 1 11 . . 0 6 0 4 2
Not registered at an employment office 119 18 9 36 1 36 14 108 . . 1 92 0 8 7
Age: 25 to 44 years Total 48 36 3 19 2 17 15 112 . . 5 24 0 66 17
Registered at an employment office 8 18 3 8 1 7 7 51 . . 2 11 0 31 7
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2 10 0 2 0 2 2 2 . . 0 1 0 1 0
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 6 8 2 6 1 5 5 49 . . 1 11 0 30 7
Not registered at an employment office 40 18 1 11 1 10 8 61 . . 3 12 0 35 10
Age: 25 to 34 years Total 31 21 2 12 1 11 10 61 . . 1 20 0 28 12
Registered at an employment office 3 8 1 3 1 2 3 27 . . 1 9 0 14 4
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 0 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 . . 0 0 0 0 0
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 3 4 1 3 1 2 2 27 . . 0 9 0 13 4
Not registered at an employment office 27 13 1 9 0 8 6 34 . . 0 11 0 14 8
Age: 35 to 44 years Total 17 16 1 7 1 6 5 51 . . 4 4 0 39 5
Registered at an employment office 5 10 1 5 0 5 4 24 . . 1 2 0 18 3
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2 5 0 2 0 2 1 2 . . 0 0 0 1 0
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 3 4 1 3 0 3 3 22 . . 1 2 0 17 2
Not registered at an employment office 13 6 0 2 0 2 2 27 . . 3 1 0 21 2
Age: 45 to 74 years Total 35 24 2 50 5 45 19 926 . . 19 3 634 249 20
Registered at an employment office 5 16 1 9 2 8 9 119 . . 3 2 12 96 6
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 2 11 0 2 0 2 3 5 . . 0 0 2 2 1
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 3 5 1 7 2 6 6 114 . . 2 2 10 94 6
Not registered at an employment office 30 8 0 41 4 37 9 807 . . 17 1 622 153 14
Age: 45 to 54 years Total 13 11 0 8 1 7 6 85 . . 4 3 2 71 5
Registered at an employment office 2 7 0 4 1 3 3 38 . . 1 2 0 32 3
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 1 5 0 0 0 0 1 1 . . 0 0 0 0 0
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 1 2 0 3 1 3 2 37 . . 1 2 0 31 3
Not registered at an employment office 10 5 0 4 0 4 2 47 . . 2 1 2 40 2
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.

Data available from: 2013

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

Changes as of November 27, 2025:
The figures for the 3rd quarter of 2025 have been 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 in February 2026.

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
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.
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.
Not in the labour force
People who don’t have paid work, who haven’t recently looked for work recently or are not 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.
Available to work, but not seeking
Person is directly available for work, but hasn’t recently looked for work.
Available to work, but not seeking
Person is directly available for work, but hasn’t recently looked for work.
Because of discouragement
Because of other reason
Seeking work, but not available
Person is not directly available for work, but has recently looked for work.
Not seeking work, not available
Person is not directly available for work and also hasn’t recently looked for work.
Not seeking work, not available
Person is not directly available for work and also hasn’t recently looked for work.
Want to work
Person is not directly available for work and also hasn’t recently looked for work, but wants to have paid work.
Doesn’t want to or can’t work
Person is not directly available for work, hasn’t recently looked for work and also doesn’t want to or can’t have paid work.
Doesn’t want to or can’t work
Person is not directly available for work, hasn’t recently looked for work and also doesn’t want to or can’t have paid work.
Because of family/household care
Person is not directly available for work, hasn’t recently looked for work and also doesn’t want to or can’t have paid work because of the care for family or household.
Because of education
Person is not directly available for work, hasn’t recently looked for work and also doesn’t want to or can’t have paid work because of education.
Because of retirement/old age
Person is not directly available for work, hasn’t recently looked for work and also doesn’t want to or can’t have paid work because of (early) retirement or old age.
Because of illness/disability
Person is not directly available for work, hasn’t recently looked for work and also doesn’t want to or can’t have paid work because of an illness or disability.
Because of other reason
Person is not directly available for work, hasn’t recently looked for work and also doesn’t want to or can’t have paid work because of another reason.