Labour participation; key figures

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Sex Age Highest educational level 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 years to OAP-age Total 11,895 10,009 9,621 388 3.9 1,885 84.1 80.9
Primary, lower secondary 2,766 1,980 1,859 121 6.1 785 71.6 67.2
Upper secondary 4,359 3,695 3,561 134 3.6 664 84.8 81.7
Tertiary 4,695 4,289 4,159 130 3.0 406 91.3 88.6
Unknown 75 45 43 2 5.1 30 60.4 57.3
45 years to OAP-age Total 5,119 4,044 3,950 94 2.3 1,075 79.0 77.2
Primary, lower secondary 1,266 840 820 20 2.4 426 66.3 64.8
Upper secondary 1,914 1,537 1,503 35 2.2 377 80.3 78.5
Tertiary 1,896 1,644 1,605 39 2.4 252 86.7 84.7
Unknown 44 23 22 1 4.2 20 53.4 51.2
OAP-age to 74 years Total 1,531 220 212 8 3.6 1,312 14.3 13.8
Primary, lower secondary 598 69 67 2 2.9 529 11.5 11.2
Upper secondary 489 70 68 2 3.5 419 14.3 13.8
Tertiary 433 80 76 3 4.4 353 18.4 17.6
Unknown 12 1 1 0 . 11 . .
Male 15 years to OAP-age Total 5,965 5,238 5,041 197 3.8 728 87.8 84.5
Primary, lower secondary 1,476 1,152 1,085 67 5.8 324 78.1 73.5
Upper secondary 2,213 1,965 1,897 68 3.5 248 88.8 85.7
Tertiary 2,241 2,095 2,035 60 2.9 146 93.5 90.8
Unknown 35 26 24 1 4.6 10 72.4 69.1
45 years to OAP-age Total 2,541 2,143 2,095 48 2.2 397 84.4 82.5
Primary, lower secondary 649 488 477 11 2.3 161 75.2 73.5
Upper secondary 929 796 780 16 2.0 134 85.6 83.9
Tertiary 940 846 826 20 2.4 94 90.0 87.9
Unknown 22 14 13 1 . 9 61.1 58.4
OAP-age to 74 years Total 748 145 139 5 3.6 603 19.3 18.6
Primary, lower secondary 249 41 40 1 2.4 208 16.6 16.2
Upper secondary 251 49 47 2 4.0 202 19.5 18.7
Tertiary 242 54 51 2 4.3 188 22.2 21.3
Unknown 6 1 1 0 . 5 . .
Female 15 years to OAP-age Total 5,929 4,772 4,580 191 4.0 1,158 80.5 77.2
Primary, lower secondary 1,290 828 774 54 6.5 462 64.2 60.0
Upper secondary 2,145 1,730 1,663 66 3.8 416 80.6 77.5
Tertiary 2,454 2,194 2,124 70 3.2 260 89.4 86.5
Unknown 40 20 19 1 5.7 20 49.7 46.9
45 years to OAP-age Total 2,579 1,901 1,855 46 2.4 678 73.7 71.9
Primary, lower secondary 616 351 343 9 2.4 265 57.0 55.6
Upper secondary 985 741 723 18 2.5 243 75.3 73.4
Tertiary 956 799 780 19 2.4 158 83.5 81.5
Unknown 22 10 9 0 . 12 45.5 43.7
OAP-age to 74 years Total 783 75 72 3 3.6 708 9.6 9.2
Primary, lower secondary 348 27 26 1 3.6 321 7.9 7.6
Upper secondary 238 21 21 1 2.4 217 8.8 8.6
Tertiary 191 26 25 1 4.5 165 13.6 13.0
Unknown 6 0 0 0 . 6 . .
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

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.