Labour participation; key figures
| Sex | Age | Highest educational level | Periods | 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) | Gross labour participation rate (%) | Net labour participation rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total male and female | 15 to 74 years | Total | 2025 4th quarter | 13,449 | 10,262 | 9,867 | 395 | 3.9 | 3,187 | 76.3 | 73.4 |
| Total male and female | 15 to 24 years | Total | 2025 4th quarter | 2,176 | 1,796 | 1,641 | 154 | 8.6 | 380 | 82.5 | 75.4 |
| Total male and female | 25 to 44 years | Total | 2025 4th quarter | 4,621 | 4,185 | 4,050 | 135 | 3.2 | 436 | 90.6 | 87.6 |
| Total male and female | 45 to 74 years | Total | 2025 4th quarter | 6,653 | 4,282 | 4,175 | 106 | 2.5 | 2,371 | 64.4 | 62.8 |
| Male | 15 to 74 years | Total | 2025 4th quarter | 6,723 | 5,399 | 5,197 | 202 | 3.7 | 1,324 | 80.3 | 77.3 |
| Male | 15 to 24 years | Total | 2025 4th quarter | 1,108 | 914 | 834 | 80 | 8.8 | 194 | 82.5 | 75.3 |
| Male | 25 to 44 years | Total | 2025 4th quarter | 2,327 | 2,184 | 2,119 | 65 | 3.0 | 143 | 93.9 | 91.1 |
| Male | 45 to 74 years | Total | 2025 4th quarter | 3,289 | 2,301 | 2,244 | 57 | 2.5 | 988 | 70.0 | 68.2 |
| Female | 15 to 74 years | Total | 2025 4th quarter | 6,725 | 4,863 | 4,670 | 193 | 4.0 | 1,863 | 72.3 | 69.4 |
| Female | 15 to 24 years | Total | 2025 4th quarter | 1,068 | 882 | 808 | 74 | 8.4 | 186 | 82.5 | 75.6 |
| Female | 25 to 44 years | Total | 2025 4th quarter | 2,294 | 2,001 | 1,931 | 70 | 3.5 | 293 | 87.2 | 84.2 |
| Female | 45 to 74 years | Total | 2025 4th quarter | 3,364 | 1,980 | 1,931 | 49 | 2.5 | 1,383 | 58.9 | 57.4 |
| Source: CBS. | |||||||||||
Table explanation
This table contains quarterly and yearly figures on labour participation in the Netherlands. The population of 15 to 74 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 level of education is available.
Data available from: 2013
Status of the figures:
The figures in this table are final.
Changes as of January 30, 2026:
The figures for the 4th quarter 2025 and the annual figures of 2025 have been added.
Changes as of November 14, 2024:
The figures for 3rd quarter 2024 are added.
Figures have been added on labor participation based on whether or not the state pension age has been reached.
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 April 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 75 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. - Gross labour participation rate
- The percentage of the (employed and unemployed) 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. - 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.