Labour participation; young people

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Sex Age Formal Eduation Labour force Employed labour force Professional status Employee Permanent employee (x 1 000) Labour force Employed labour force Professional status Self-employed person Self-employed without employees (x 1 000) Labour force Employed labour force Professional status Self-employed person Self-employed with employees (x 1 000)
Total male and female 15 to 24 years Total 333 61 2
In formal education 147 32 1
Not in formal education 185 29 1
15 to 19 years Total 68 15 1
In formal education 55 10 0
Not in formal education 14 5 0
20 to 24 years Total 264 46 2
In formal education 93 22 1
Not in formal education 172 25 1
15 years Total 11 1 0
In formal education 11 1 0
Not in formal education 0 0 0
16 years Total 10 1 0
In formal education 9 1 0
Not in formal education 0 0 0
17 years Total 8 2 0
In formal education 8 2 0
Not in formal education 0 0 0
18 years Total 17 4 0
In formal education 13 3 0
Not in formal education 4 1 0
19 years Total 22 7 0
In formal education 13 4 0
Not in formal education 9 3 0
20 years Total 23 8 0
In formal education 13 5 0
Not in formal education 10 3 0
21 years Total 42 5 0
In formal education 18 3 0
Not in formal education 24 2 0
22 years Total 58 12 0
In formal education 22 7 0
Not in formal education 36 5 0
23 years Total 66 11 1
In formal education 22 4 1
Not in formal education 44 7 0
24 years Total 75 10 0
In formal education 18 3 0
Not in formal education 57 7 0
Male 15 to 24 years Total 181 43 2
In formal education 78 21 1
Not in formal education 103 21 1
15 to 19 years Total 41 10 0
In formal education 32 7 0
Not in formal education 9 3 0
20 to 24 years Total 140 32 1
In formal education 46 14 1
Not in formal education 94 18 1
15 years Total 7 0 0
In formal education 7 0 0
Not in formal education 0 0 0
16 years Total 6 1 0
In formal education 6 1 0
Not in formal education 0 0 0
17 years Total 5 1 0
In formal education 4 1 0
Not in formal education 0 0 0
18 years Total 11 4 0
In formal education 8 3 0
Not in formal education 3 1 0
19 years Total 13 5 0
In formal education 7 2 0
Not in formal education 5 2 0
20 years Total 12 5 0
In formal education 6 3 0
Not in formal education 6 2 0
21 years Total 23 4 0
In formal education 9 2 0
Not in formal education 14 2 0
22 years Total 28 9 0
In formal education 11 5 0
Not in formal education 17 4 0
23 years Total 37 7 1
In formal education 11 2 1
Not in formal education 26 5 0
24 years Total 40 7 0
In formal education 10 2 0
Not in formal education 30 5 0
Female 15 to 24 years Total 151 18 0
In formal education 69 10 0
Not in formal education 82 8 0
15 to 19 years Total 27 4 0
In formal education 22 3 0
Not in formal education 5 1 0
20 to 24 years Total 124 14 0
In formal education 47 7 0
Not in formal education 77 7 0
15 years Total 4 0 0
In formal education 4 0 0
Not in formal education 0 0 0
16 years Total 4 1 0
In formal education 4 1 0
Not in formal education 0 0 0
17 years Total 4 0 0
In formal education 4 0 0
Not in formal education 0 0 0
18 years Total 6 0 0
In formal education 5 0 0
Not in formal education 1 0 0
19 years Total 10 2 0
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.
Permanent employee
An employee with an employment contract for an indefinite period and for a fixed number of hours.
When a person has more than one job, the job in which most hours are worked, is used.
Self-employed person
A person who works for his/her own account and risk
-  in an own company or practice (self-employed entrepreneur), or
-  as an owner-manager, or
-  in the company or practice of a family member (contributing family worker), or
-  as another self-employed person (for example in an independent profession).

When a person has more than one job, the job in which most hours are worked, is used.
Self-employed without employees
A person who works for his/her own account and risk
-  in an own company or practice (self-employed entrepreneur), or
-  as an owner-manager, or
-  as another self-employed person (for example in an independent profession), and
-  who has no employees.

When a person has more than one job, the job in which most hours are worked, is used.
Self-employed with employees
A person who works for his/her own account and risk
-  in an own company or practice (self-employed entrepreneur), or
-  as an owner-manager, and
-  who has employees.
-  
When a person has more than one job, the job in which most hours are worked, is used.