Labour participation; key figures

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Age Highest educational level Labour force and not in the labour force (x 1 000) Labour force Labour force (x 1 000) Labour force Unemployed labour force (x 1 000) Labour force Unemployment rate (%) Labour force Employed labour force Employed labour force (x 1 000) Not in the labour force (x 1 000) Gross labour participation rate (%) Net labour participation rate (%)
15 to 74 years Total 13,413 10,250 404 3.9 9,846 3,163 76.4 73.4
Primary, lower secondary 3,312 2,030 120 5.9 1,910 1,283 61.3 57.7
Upper secondary 4,855 3,782 139 3.7 3,642 1,073 77.9 75.0
Tertiary 5,155 4,386 143 3.3 4,243 769 85.1 82.3
Unknown 91 53 2 4.0 51 38 58.4 56.0
15 to 24 years Total 2,154 1,819 165 9.1 1,654 335 84.5 76.8
Primary, lower secondary 876 698 73 10.5 625 178 79.7 71.3
Upper secondary 935 814 61 7.4 753 122 87.0 80.5
Tertiary 342 307 31 10.2 276 35 89.9 80.7
Unknown 1 1 0 . 1 0 . .
15 to 64 years Total 11,430 9,814 391 4.0 9,423 1,616 85.9 82.4
Primary, lower secondary 2,559 1,891 116 6.2 1,774 668 73.9 69.3
Upper secondary 4,206 3,634 135 3.7 3,499 571 86.4 83.2
Tertiary 4,588 4,239 138 3.2 4,101 349 92.4 89.4
Unknown 77 50 2 4.2 48 27 64.9 62.2
25 to 44 years Total 4,609 4,160 137 3.3 4,024 449 90.3 87.3
Primary, lower secondary 568 415 24 5.8 391 153 73.1 68.9
Upper secondary 1,520 1,356 42 3.1 1,313 164 89.2 86.4
Tertiary 2,486 2,364 69 2.9 2,295 122 95.1 92.3
Unknown 34 25 1 . 24 9 72.5 69.7
25 to 34 years Total 2,372 2,160 80 3.7 2,080 212 91.1 87.7
Primary, lower secondary 232 167 12 7.1 156 64 72.2 67.1
Upper secondary 802 721 26 3.5 695 81 89.9 86.7
Tertiary 1,328 1,265 42 3.3 1,223 63 95.2 92.1
Unknown 11 8 1 . 7 3 . .
35 to 44 years Total 2,237 2,000 57 2.8 1,943 237 89.4 86.9
Primary, lower secondary 336 248 12 5.0 236 88 73.8 70.1
Upper secondary 718 635 17 2.6 618 83 88.4 86.1
Tertiary 1,159 1,100 28 2.5 1,072 59 94.9 92.5
Unknown 24 17 0 . 17 6 . .
45 to 54 years Total 2,192 1,908 44 2.3 1,864 283 87.1 85.1
Primary, lower secondary 410 301 10 3.3 291 109 73.5 71.1
Upper secondary 791 692 15 2.2 677 99 87.5 85.5
Tertiary 972 902 19 2.1 883 69 92.8 90.9
Unknown 19 13 0 . 13 6 . .
45 to 64 years Total 4,667 3,835 90 2.3 3,745 832 82.2 80.2
Primary, lower secondary 1,115 777 19 2.4 758 337 69.7 68.0
Upper secondary 1,750 1,465 32 2.2 1,433 285 83.7 81.9
Tertiary 1,760 1,568 37 2.4 1,531 193 89.1 87.0
Unknown 42 25 1 . 23 17 58.6 55.8
45 to 74 years Total 6,650 4,271 103 2.4 4,168 2,379 64.2 62.7
Primary, lower secondary 1,868 916 23 2.5 893 952 49.1 47.8
Upper secondary 2,400 1,613 36 2.3 1,576 787 67.2 65.7
Tertiary 2,327 1,714 42 2.5 1,672 613 73.7 71.8
Unknown 56 28 1 . 27 28 49.5 47.4
55 to 64 years Total 2,476 1,926 46 2.4 1,881 549 77.8 76.0
Primary, lower secondary 705 476 9 1.9 467 229 67.5 66.2
Upper secondary 959 773 17 2.2 756 186 80.6 78.8
Tertiary 789 666 18 2.8 647 123 84.4 82.1
Unknown 23 12 1 . 11 11 . .
65 to 74 years Total 1,983 436 13 3.0 423 1,547 22.0 21.3
Primary, lower secondary 753 139 4 2.6 135 614 18.5 18.0
Upper secondary 649 147 4 2.7 143 502 22.7 22.1
Tertiary 567 147 5 3.7 141 420 25.9 24.9
Unknown 14 3 0 . 3 11 . .
15 to 19 years Total 1,003 808 80 9.9 728 195 80.6 72.6
Primary, lower secondary 713 566 64 11.3 502 147 79.4 70.4
Upper secondary 281 235 16 6.9 219 46 83.8 78.0
Tertiary 8 6 0 . 6 2 . .
Unknown 0 0 0 . 0 0 . .
20 to 24 years Total 1,151 1,011 85 8.4 926 140 87.8 80.5
Primary, lower secondary 163 132 9 6.9 123 31 81.0 75.4
Upper secondary 654 578 44 7.7 534 76 88.4 81.6
Tertiary 333 301 31 10.4 269 33 90.2 80.9
Unknown 1 0 0 . 0 0 . .
25 to 29 years Total 1,174 1,072 48 4.5 1,024 102 91.3 87.2
Primary, lower secondary 109 79 5 6.8 74 30 72.2 67.3
Upper secondary 404 365 14 3.9 351 39 90.4 86.9
Tertiary 659 626 28 4.5 598 33 95.0 90.7
Unknown 2 2 0 . 2 0 . .
30 to 34 years Total 1,198 1,088 32 2.9 1,057 110 90.8 88.2
Primary, lower secondary 122 88 6 7.3 82 34 72.2 66.9
Upper secondary 398 356 11 3.1 345 42 89.3 86.5
Tertiary 669 638 13 2.1 625 31 95.4 93.5
Unknown 9 6 1 . 5 3 . .
35 to 39 years Total 1,158 1,040 30 2.9 1,010 117 89.9 87.3
Primary, lower secondary 163 119 8 6.5 111 44 72.9 68.1
Upper secondary 364 322 7 2.2 315 41 88.6 86.6
Tertiary 619 590 15 2.6 574 30 95.2 92.7
Unknown 12 10 0 . 10 2 . .
40 to 44 years Total 1,079 960 27 2.8 933 119 88.9 86.5
Primary, lower secondary 174 130 5 3.6 125 44 74.6 71.9
Upper secondary 354 312 9 3.0 303 42 88.2 85.5
Tertiary 539 510 12 2.4 498 29 94.6 92.3
Unknown 12 7 0 . 7 4 . .
45 to 49 years Total 1,039 914 18 1.9 897 124 88.0 86.3
Primary, lower secondary 170 124 2 2.0 121 47 72.6 71.2
Upper secondary 376 331 7 2.0 324 45 88.0 86.2
Tertiary 484 455 8 1.8 446 29 93.9 92.3
Unknown 8 5 0 . 5 3 . .
50 to 54 years Total 1,153 994 26 2.7 967 159 86.2 83.9
Primary, lower secondary 240 178 7 4.1 170 62 74.1 71.1
Upper secondary 415 361 9 2.4 352 54 87.0 84.9
Tertiary 488 448 11 2.4 437 40 91.8 89.6
Unknown 11 8 0 . 8 3 . .
55 to 59 years Total 1,260 1,059 25 2.4 1,034 202 84.0 82.0
Primary, lower secondary 321 233 4 1.5 229 88 72.6 71.5
Upper secondary 500 434 10 2.3 424 66 86.8 84.8
Tertiary 426 385 12 3.0 374 41 90.4 87.7
Unknown 13 6 0 . 6 7 . .
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 October 30, 2025:
The figures for the 3rd quarter 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 January 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.