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 1,598 1,319 1,190 129 9.7 280 74.5
Not in formal education 556 501 464 37 7.3 55 83.5
15 to 19 years In formal education 912 733 658 75 10.2 179 72.2
Not in formal education 90 75 69 6 7.7 15 76.6
20 to 24 years In formal education 686 586 532 54 9.2 100 77.5
Not in formal education 465 425 395 31 7.2 40 84.9
15 years In formal education 192 136 116 20 15.0 56 60.2
Not in formal education 4 2 2 0 . 1 .
16 years In formal education 195 158 137 21 13.2 37 70.4
Not in formal education 3 2 2 0 . 1 .
17 years In formal education 189 158 141 16 10.4 31 74.9
Not in formal education 10 8 8 1 . 2 .
18 years In formal education 169 143 135 8 5.6 26 79.8
Not in formal education 31 26 23 3 . 5 73.9
19 years In formal education 168 138 129 9 6.4 30 77.1
Not in formal education 42 36 34 2 5.6 6 81.0
20 years In formal education 165 140 127 13 9.5 25 76.7
Not in formal education 54 46 42 4 9.0 8 77.0
21 years In formal education 154 134 124 11 7.9 20 80.2
Not in formal education 74 65 61 4 6.5 8 83.0
22 years In formal education 141 119 107 13 10.6 22 75.7
Not in formal education 93 86 82 4 4.8 7 88.4
23 years In formal education 125 108 99 9 8.0 17 79.5
Not in formal education 107 100 93 8 7.5 7 86.6
24 years In formal education 101 84 75 9 10.2 17 74.7
Not in formal education 137 128 117 11 8.4 9 85.3
Male 15 to 24 years In formal education 803 654 585 69 10.6 149 72.8
Not in formal education 295 270 251 19 7.0 24 85.3
15 to 19 years In formal education 463 370 333 38 10.1 93 71.8
Not in formal education 53 46 42 4 8.2 7 79.4
20 to 24 years In formal education 340 284 252 32 11.1 56 74.3
Not in formal education 242 225 209 15 6.7 17 86.6
15 years In formal education 98 68 59 9 13.8 30 59.8
Not in formal education 2 2 2 0 . 0 .
16 years In formal education 100 80 69 11 13.1 20 69.2
Not in formal education 2 1 1 0 . 1 .
17 years In formal education 97 83 73 10 11.7 14 75.6
Not in formal education 6 5 5 0 . 0 .
18 years In formal education 85 71 67 4 6.0 13 79.0
Not in formal education 19 17 15 2 . 2 .
19 years In formal education 84 68 65 4 5.4 15 77.2
Not in formal education 24 21 19 2 . 3 .
20 years In formal education 80 67 59 8 11.3 13 74.6
Not in formal education 32 29 26 3 . 3 81.9
21 years In formal education 74 63 57 6 8.9 11 77.1
Not in formal education 41 36 34 2 4.8 4 84.9
22 years In formal education 72 58 51 7 12.0 14 70.7
Not in formal education 46 43 42 2 4.0 3 89.9
23 years In formal education 62 52 46 6 11.4 9 75.1
Not in formal education 55 53 49 4 7.7 2 88.3
24 years In formal education 53 44 39 5 12.4 8 73.5
Not in formal education 67 63 58 5 7.9 4 86.1
Female 15 to 24 years In formal education 795 664 605 59 8.9 131 76.1
Not in formal education 261 230 213 18 7.7 31 81.5
15 to 19 years In formal education 449 363 326 37 10.2 86 72.5
Not in formal education 38 29 27 2 . 8 72.5
20 to 24 years In formal education 346 302 279 22 7.4 44 80.7
Not in formal education 223 201 185 16 7.8 22 83.0
15 years In formal education 94 68 57 11 16.2 26 60.7
Not in formal education 2 1 0 0 . 1 .
16 years In formal education 95 78 68 10 13.2 17 71.7
Not in formal education 1 1 1 0 . 1 .
17 years In formal education 92 75 68 7 9.0 17 74.1
Not in formal education 4 3 3 0 . 1 .
18 years In formal education 84 72 68 4 5.3 13 80.5
Not in formal education 12 9 8 1 . 3 .
19 years In formal education 84 70 65 5 7.4 14 77.0
Not in formal education 18 16 15 0 . 3 .
20 years In formal education 86 73 67 6 7.9 13 78.7
Not in formal education 22 17 15 2 . 5 .
21 years In formal education 80 71 66 5 7.1 8 83.1
Not in formal education 33 29 27 2 . 4 80.6
22 years In formal education 69 62 56 6 9.4 7 80.9
Not in formal education 46 43 40 2 5.7 4 86.9
23 years In formal education 63 55 53 3 4.7 8 83.8
Not in formal education 52 47 44 3 7.3 4 84.8
24 years In formal education 48 40 37 3 7.8 8 76.0
Not in formal education 70 65 59 6 8.9 5 84.4
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 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 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.