Labour participation; young people

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Sex Age Formal Eduation Labour force and not in the labour force (x 1 000) Labour force Labour force (x 1 000) Labour force Unemployed labour force (x 1 000) Labour force Unemployment rate (%) Labour force Employed labour force Employed labour force (x 1 000) Not in the labour force (x 1 000)
Total male and female 15 to 24 years Total 2,169 1,794 167 9.3 1,627 374
In formal education 1,611 1,296 130 10.0 1,166 315
Not in formal education 557 498 37 7.5 461 59
15 to 19 years Total 1,014 788 88 11.1 700 226
In formal education 923 714 79 11.1 635 210
Not in formal education 91 74 9 11.9 65 17
20 to 24 years Total 1,155 1,007 80 7.9 927 148
In formal education 688 582 51 8.8 531 106
Not in formal education 467 424 28 6.7 396 42
15 years Total 197 134 24 18.0 110 63
In formal education 195 132 24 18.1 108 62
Not in formal education 3 2 0 . 2 1
16 years Total 198 147 19 12.7 129 51
In formal education 194 146 18 12.6 128 48
Not in formal education 4 1 0 . 1 3
17 years Total 200 161 14 8.8 146 40
In formal education 192 154 13 8.4 141 37
Not in formal education 9 6 1 . 5 3
18 years Total 204 171 16 9.3 155 33
In formal education 171 142 13 9.0 130 29
Not in formal education 32 28 3 . 25 4
19 years Total 215 175 15 8.6 160 39
In formal education 172 139 11 7.8 128 33
Not in formal education 43 37 4 11.5 33 6
20 years Total 220 189 18 9.8 171 31
In formal education 166 140 15 10.8 125 26
Not in formal education 54 49 3 6.7 46 5
21 years Total 228 194 15 7.7 179 33
In formal education 160 135 10 7.6 124 25
Not in formal education 68 60 5 7.9 55 8
22 years Total 234 202 13 6.6 189 32
In formal education 142 119 8 7.0 110 23
Not in formal education 93 83 5 6.1 78 9
23 years Total 236 209 18 8.8 191 26
In formal education 125 108 12 11.3 96 17
Not in formal education 111 102 6 6.1 95 10
24 years Total 237 212 14 6.8 198 25
In formal education 96 81 5 6.5 76 15
Not in formal education 141 131 9 6.9 122 10
Male 15 to 24 years Total 1,105 917 87 9.5 829 189
In formal education 814 650 67 10.2 584 163
Not in formal education 292 266 21 7.7 246 25
15 to 19 years Total 521 407 46 11.4 361 114
In formal education 471 366 41 11.2 325 105
Not in formal education 50 42 6 13.1 36 9
20 to 24 years Total 584 509 41 8.0 468 75
In formal education 343 285 26 9.1 259 58
Not in formal education 241 224 15 6.7 209 17
15 years Total 101 69 12 17.9 57 31
In formal education 99 68 12 18.2 56 31
Not in formal education 2 1 0 . 1 1
16 years Total 102 76 10 12.8 66 26
In formal education 100 75 9 12.7 65 25
Not in formal education 2 1 0 . 0 2
17 years Total 104 85 7 8.3 78 18
In formal education 99 82 7 8.1 75 17
Not in formal education 5 3 0 . 3 2
18 years Total 105 88 9 10.7 78 17
In formal education 87 72 8 10.4 65 15
Not in formal education 17 16 2 . 14 2
19 years Total 110 89 8 8.7 82 21
In formal education 86 68 5 7.0 63 18
Not in formal education 25 21 3 . 18 3
20 years Total 112 95 11 11.3 85 17
In formal education 79 65 8 12.5 57 14
Not in formal education 33 31 3 8.6 28 3
21 years Total 115 100 7 6.5 93 16
In formal education 78 66 5 7.5 61 13
Not in formal education 37 34 2 4.7 32 3
22 years Total 118 102 8 8.2 94 16
In formal education 71 59 4 7.4 54 12
Not in formal education 47 44 4 9.1 40 3
23 years Total 119 105 9 8.9 96 14
In formal education 63 54 6 11.1 48 10
Not in formal education 56 51 3 6.5 48 4
24 years Total 119 107 6 5.5 101 13
In formal education 51 42 2 5.8 40 9
Not in formal education 68 65 3 5.3 61 4
Female 15 to 24 years Total 1,063 878 80 9.1 798 185
In formal education 798 646 64 9.8 582 152
Not in formal education 266 232 17 7.2 215 33
15 to 19 years Total 493 380 41 10.9 339 112
In formal education 453 348 38 11.0 310 104
Not in formal education 40 32 3 10.3 29 8
20 to 24 years Total 570 498 39 7.8 459 73
In formal education 345 298 25 8.5 272 47
Not in formal education 225 200 13 6.7 187 25
15 years Total 96 65 12 18.2 53 32
In formal education 95 64 12 18.1 52 31
Not in formal education 1 1 0 . 1 0
16 years Total 96 72 9 12.5 63 25
In formal education 94 71 9 12.6 62 23
Not in formal education 2 0 0 . 0 1
17 years Total 97 75 7 9.4 68 21
In formal education 93 73 6 8.8 66 20
Not in formal education 4 3 1 . 2 1
18 years Total 99 83 6 7.7 76 16
In formal education 84 70 5 7.5 65 14
Not in formal education 15 12 1 . 11 3
19 years Total 104 86 7 8.5 79 19
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 May 21, 2026:
The figures for the 1st quarter 2026 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 August 2026.

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 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 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 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.
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.
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.
Unemployment rate
The unemployed labour force as a percentage of the (employed and 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.
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.