Labour participation; key figures

Changed on: 30/01/2026 06:30

Labour participation; key figures
Sex	Age	Highest educational level	Periods	Labour force and not in the labour force (x 1 000)
Total male and female	15 to 74 years	Total	2025	13,426
Total male and female	15 to 74 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	3,364
Total male and female	15 to 74 years	Upper secondary	2025	4,848
Total male and female	15 to 74 years	Tertiary	2025	5,128
Total male and female	15 to 74 years	Unknown	2025	87
Total male and female	15 to 24 years	Total	2025	2,169
Total male and female	15 to 24 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	925
Total male and female	15 to 24 years	Upper secondary	2025	924
Total male and female	15 to 24 years	Tertiary	2025	318
Total male and female	15 to 24 years	Unknown	2025	2
Total male and female	15 to 64 years	Total	2025	11,447
Total male and female	15 to 64 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	2,618
Total male and female	15 to 64 years	Upper secondary	2025	4,197
Total male and female	15 to 64 years	Tertiary	2025	4,560
Total male and female	15 to 64 years	Unknown	2025	72
Total male and female	25 to 44 years	Total	2025	4,606
Total male and female	25 to 44 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	575
Total male and female	25 to 44 years	Upper secondary	2025	1,520
Total male and female	25 to 44 years	Tertiary	2025	2,481
Total male and female	25 to 44 years	Unknown	2025	30
Total male and female	25 to 34 years	Total	2025	2,373
Total male and female	25 to 34 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	238
Total male and female	25 to 34 years	Upper secondary	2025	799
Total male and female	25 to 34 years	Tertiary	2025	1,326
Total male and female	25 to 34 years	Unknown	2025	10
Total male and female	35 to 44 years	Total	2025	2,233
Total male and female	35 to 44 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	337
Total male and female	35 to 44 years	Upper secondary	2025	721
Total male and female	35 to 44 years	Tertiary	2025	1,155
Total male and female	35 to 44 years	Unknown	2025	20
Total male and female	45 to 54 years	Total	2025	2,199
Total male and female	45 to 54 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	410
Total male and female	45 to 54 years	Upper secondary	2025	798
Total male and female	45 to 54 years	Tertiary	2025	973
Total male and female	45 to 54 years	Unknown	2025	18
Total male and female	45 to 64 years	Total	2025	4,672
Total male and female	45 to 64 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	1,118
Total male and female	45 to 64 years	Upper secondary	2025	1,753
Total male and female	45 to 64 years	Tertiary	2025	1,761
Total male and female	45 to 64 years	Unknown	2025	40
Total male and female	45 to 74 years	Total	2025	6,651
Total male and female	45 to 74 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	1,864
Total male and female	45 to 74 years	Upper secondary	2025	2,403
Total male and female	45 to 74 years	Tertiary	2025	2,328
Total male and female	45 to 74 years	Unknown	2025	56
Total male and female	55 to 64 years	Total	2025	2,473
Total male and female	55 to 64 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	708
Total male and female	55 to 64 years	Upper secondary	2025	955
Total male and female	55 to 64 years	Tertiary	2025	788
Total male and female	55 to 64 years	Unknown	2025	22
Total male and female	65 to 74 years	Total	2025	1,979
Total male and female	65 to 74 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	746
Total male and female	65 to 74 years	Upper secondary	2025	650
Total male and female	65 to 74 years	Tertiary	2025	568
Total male and female	65 to 74 years	Unknown	2025	15
Total male and female	15 to 19 years	Total	2025	1,008
Total male and female	15 to 19 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	757
Total male and female	15 to 19 years	Upper secondary	2025	245
Total male and female	15 to 19 years	Tertiary	2025	6
Total male and female	15 to 19 years	Unknown	2025	0
Total male and female	20 to 24 years	Total	2025	1,161
Total male and female	20 to 24 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	168
Total male and female	20 to 24 years	Upper secondary	2025	679
Total male and female	20 to 24 years	Tertiary	2025	312
Total male and female	20 to 24 years	Unknown	2025	1
Total male and female	25 to 29 years	Total	2025	1,174
Total male and female	25 to 29 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	113
Total male and female	25 to 29 years	Upper secondary	2025	400
Total male and female	25 to 29 years	Tertiary	2025	658
Total male and female	25 to 29 years	Unknown	2025	2
Total male and female	30 to 34 years	Total	2025	1,199
Total male and female	30 to 34 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	124
Total male and female	30 to 34 years	Upper secondary	2025	399
Total male and female	30 to 34 years	Tertiary	2025	668
Total male and female	30 to 34 years	Unknown	2025	8
Total male and female	35 to 39 years	Total	2025	1,155
Total male and female	35 to 39 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	162
Total male and female	35 to 39 years	Upper secondary	2025	370
Total male and female	35 to 39 years	Tertiary	2025	613
Total male and female	35 to 39 years	Unknown	2025	10
Total male and female	40 to 44 years	Total	2025	1,078
Total male and female	40 to 44 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	175
Total male and female	40 to 44 years	Upper secondary	2025	351
Total male and female	40 to 44 years	Tertiary	2025	543
Total male and female	40 to 44 years	Unknown	2025	10
Total male and female	45 to 49 years	Total	2025	1,040
Total male and female	45 to 49 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	174
Total male and female	45 to 49 years	Upper secondary	2025	367
Total male and female	45 to 49 years	Tertiary	2025	491
Total male and female	45 to 49 years	Unknown	2025	8
Total male and female	50 to 54 years	Total	2025	1,159
Total male and female	50 to 54 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	236
Total male and female	50 to 54 years	Upper secondary	2025	431
Total male and female	50 to 54 years	Tertiary	2025	482
Total male and female	50 to 54 years	Unknown	2025	10
Total male and female	55 to 59 years	Total	2025	1,259
Total male and female	55 to 59 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	324
Total male and female	55 to 59 years	Upper secondary	2025	498
Total male and female	55 to 59 years	Tertiary	2025	425
Total male and female	55 to 59 years	Unknown	2025	13
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.