Labour participation; young people

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Sex Age Formal Eduation Labour force Employed labour force Professional status Employee Flexible employee (x 1 000)
Total male and female 15 to 24 years Total 1,253
In formal education 1,005
Not in formal education 248
15 to 19 years Total 642
In formal education 591
Not in formal education 50
20 to 24 years Total 611
In formal education 414
Not in formal education 197
15 years Total 105
In formal education 103
Not in formal education 2
16 years Total 128
In formal education 126
Not in formal education 2
17 years Total 138
In formal education 131
Not in formal education 7
18 years Total 137
In formal education 119
Not in formal education 18
19 years Total 134
In formal education 113
Not in formal education 22
20 years Total 137
In formal education 108
Not in formal education 29
21 years Total 137
In formal education 102
Not in formal education 35
22 years Total 118
In formal education 77
Not in formal education 41
23 years Total 113
In formal education 72
Not in formal education 41
24 years Total 106
In formal education 54
Not in formal education 52
Male 15 to 24 years Total 606
In formal education 481
Not in formal education 125
15 to 19 years Total 320
In formal education 291
Not in formal education 29
20 to 24 years Total 286
In formal education 189
Not in formal education 96
15 years Total 52
In formal education 51
Not in formal education 1
16 years Total 64
In formal education 63
Not in formal education 1
17 years Total 71
In formal education 67
Not in formal education 4
18 years Total 66
In formal education 56
Not in formal education 11
19 years Total 66
In formal education 55
Not in formal education 11
20 years Total 69
In formal education 50
Not in formal education 19
21 years Total 64
In formal education 46
Not in formal education 18
22 years Total 54
In formal education 34
Not in formal education 20
23 years Total 49
In formal education 32
Not in formal education 17
24 years Total 49
In formal education 27
Not in formal education 23
Female 15 to 24 years Total 647
In formal education 525
Not in formal education 122
15 to 19 years Total 321
In formal education 300
Not in formal education 21
20 to 24 years Total 326
In formal education 225
Not in formal education 101
15 years Total 52
In formal education 52
Not in formal education 0
16 years Total 64
In formal education 64
Not in formal education 1
17 years Total 67
In formal education 64
Not in formal education 3
18 years Total 70
In formal education 63
Not in formal education 7
19 years Total 68
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


This table contains quarterly and yearly figures on labour participation of young people in the Netherlands. The population of 15 to 24 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 whether they are in education is available.

Data available from: 2013

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

Changes as of November 13, 2025:
The figures for the 3rd quarter 2025 have been added.

Changes as of August 17, 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 2025.

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.
Professional status
Classification of the employed labour force into:
Employee
-  permanent
-  flexible
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.
Flexible employee
An employee with an employment contract for a limited period or a flexible number of hours. Enclosed here are: - Temporary employee, permanent prospect - Temporary employee, >=1 year - Temporary employee, <1 year - On-call worker (including permanent and temporary employees with flexible hours) - Temporary agency worker - Employee flex, contract unknown.

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