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 Employed labour force Employed labour force (x 1 000) Labour force Unemployed labour force (x 1 000) Labour force Unemployment rate (%) Not in the labour force (x 1 000) Net labour participation rate (%)
Total male and female 15 to 24 years In formal education 1,637 1,336 1,215 121 9.1 301 74.2
Not in formal education 527 467 437 30 6.5 60 82.9
15 to 19 years In formal education 927 739 651 88 11.9 188 70.2
Not in formal education 83 64 57 7 10.5 19 69.4
20 to 24 years In formal education 709 597 564 33 5.5 113 79.4
Not in formal education 444 403 379 24 5.9 41 85.4
15 years In formal education 192 137 114 23 16.9 55 59.3
Not in formal education 4 1 1 0 . 3 .
16 years In formal education 194 155 130 25 15.9 39 67.1
Not in formal education 4 1 1 0 . 3 .
17 years In formal education 194 154 135 19 12.1 40 69.8
Not in formal education 7 5 4 1 . 2 .
18 years In formal education 176 146 136 11 7.4 30 76.8
Not in formal education 26 20 18 2 . 6 .
19 years In formal education 171 147 136 11 7.3 24 79.7
Not in formal education 42 36 33 4 9.8 6 78.0
20 years In formal education 163 140 132 8 5.5 23 81.1
Not in formal education 56 50 46 3 6.3 7 82.3
21 years In formal education 171 143 135 8 5.6 27 79.2
Not in formal education 57 51 48 4 7.7 5 83.4
22 years In formal education 144 122 116 5 4.5 23 80.5
Not in formal education 89 79 73 6 7.5 10 82.1
23 years In formal education 131 107 100 7 6.7 24 76.1
Not in formal education 106 95 90 4 4.6 11 85.5
24 years In formal education 101 85 81 5 5.4 15 80.1
Not in formal education 136 128 122 6 4.9 8 89.8
Male 15 to 24 years In formal education 820 662 601 61 9.3 158 73.3
Not in formal education 283 255 238 17 6.5 28 84.2
15 to 19 years In formal education 471 372 328 44 11.8 99 69.6
Not in formal education 48 37 33 4 10.5 11 68.6
20 to 24 years In formal education 349 290 273 17 6.0 58 78.3
Not in formal education 235 218 205 13 5.8 17 87.4
15 years In formal education 98 70 57 13 19.1 28 57.7
Not in formal education 2 0 0 0 . 2 .
16 years In formal education 99 75 64 12 15.6 24 64.0
Not in formal education 2 0 0 0 . 2 .
17 years In formal education 100 79 70 8 10.6 21 70.5
Not in formal education 4 3 3 0 . 1 .
18 years In formal education 89 75 70 4 6.0 14 78.9
Not in formal education 15 12 11 1 . 3 .
19 years In formal education 85 73 67 6 8.2 12 79.2
Not in formal education 25 21 19 2 . 4 .
20 years In formal education 79 66 62 5 6.8 12 78.7
Not in formal education 33 30 28 2 7.2 3 85.0
21 years In formal education 80 66 63 3 5.2 14 77.8
Not in formal education 35 32 30 2 6.3 3 85.2
22 years In formal education 69 58 56 2 3.9 11 80.4
Not in formal education 49 46 42 4 8.5 3 85.8
23 years In formal education 69 56 51 5 8.7 13 74.3
Not in formal education 51 47 45 2 4.8 4 87.2
24 years In formal education 52 45 42 3 5.7 8 80.6
Not in formal education 67 63 61 2 3.7 4 91.2
Female 15 to 24 years In formal education 817 673 614 59 8.8 143 75.2
Not in formal education 244 212 199 14 6.5 32 81.4
15 to 19 years In formal education 456 367 323 44 12.0 89 70.9
Not in formal education 35 27 24 3 . 7 70.6
20 to 24 years In formal education 361 306 291 16 5.1 54 80.6
Not in formal education 209 185 174 11 5.9 24 83.2
15 years In formal education 94 67 57 10 14.5 27 61.0
Not in formal education 2 1 1 0 . 1 .
16 years In formal education 95 79 67 13 16.1 15 70.5
Not in formal education 2 1 1 0 . 1 .
17 years In formal education 94 75 65 10 13.7 19 69.0
Not in formal education 3 2 1 0 . 1 .
18 years In formal education 87 71 65 6 8.8 16 74.7
Not in formal education 11 8 8 1 . 3 .
19 years In formal education 86 74 69 5 6.4 12 80.3
Not in formal education 17 15 14 2 . 2 .
20 years In formal education 84 73 70 3 4.4 11 83.4
Not in formal education 24 19 19 1 . 4 .
21 years In formal education 90 77 73 5 6.0 13 80.3
Not in formal education 22 20 18 2 . 2 .
22 years In formal education 75 64 61 3 5.0 11 80.6
Not in formal education 40 33 31 2 6.2 7 77.6
23 years In formal education 63 51 49 2 4.6 11 78.1
Not in formal education 55 48 46 2 4.4 7 83.8
24 years In formal education 48 41 39 2 5.1 8 79.5
Not in formal education 69 65 61 4 6.0 4 88.4
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 August 13, 2026:
The figures for the 2nd 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 November 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.
Net labour participation rate
The percentage of the employed labour force in the population (labour force and 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.