Labour participation; key figures

View full table Show description
Age Highest educational level Labour force Employed labour force Professional status Employee Flexible employee (x 1 000)
15 to 74 years Total 2,679
Primary, lower secondary 790
Upper secondary 1,011
Tertiary 862
Unknown 16
15 to 24 years Total 1,253
Primary, lower secondary 527
Upper secondary 543
Tertiary 183
Unknown 0
15 to 64 years Total 2,573
Primary, lower secondary 752
Upper secondary 973
Tertiary 834
Unknown 15
25 to 44 years Total 926
Primary, lower secondary 114
Upper secondary 287
Tertiary 517
Unknown 7
25 to 34 years Total 621
Primary, lower secondary 58
Upper secondary 187
Tertiary 374
Unknown 3
35 to 44 years Total 305
Primary, lower secondary 57
Upper secondary 100
Tertiary 144
Unknown 4
45 to 54 years Total 211
Primary, lower secondary 52
Upper secondary 74
Tertiary 82
Unknown 3
45 to 64 years Total 395
Primary, lower secondary 111
Upper secondary 143
Tertiary 133
Unknown 7
45 to 74 years Total 500
Primary, lower secondary 149
Upper secondary 181
Tertiary 162
Unknown 8
55 to 64 years Total 184
Primary, lower secondary 59
Upper secondary 70
Tertiary 51
Unknown 4
65 to 74 years Total 106
Primary, lower secondary 38
Upper secondary 38
Tertiary 28
Unknown 1
15 to 19 years Total 642
Primary, lower secondary 446
Upper secondary 191
Tertiary 5
Unknown 0
20 to 24 years Total 611
Primary, lower secondary 81
Upper secondary 352
Tertiary 178
Unknown 0
25 to 29 years Total 378
Primary, lower secondary 29
Upper secondary 115
Tertiary 234
Unknown 1
30 to 34 years Total 243
Primary, lower secondary 29
Upper secondary 72
Tertiary 139
Unknown 2
35 to 39 years Total 171
Primary, lower secondary 30
Upper secondary 56
Tertiary 84
Unknown 1
40 to 44 years Total 134
Primary, lower secondary 27
Upper secondary 44
Tertiary 60
Unknown 3
45 to 49 years Total 106
Primary, lower secondary 24
Upper secondary 38
Tertiary 41
Unknown 2
50 to 54 years Total 105
Primary, lower secondary 28
Upper secondary 35
Tertiary 40
Unknown 1
55 to 59 years Total 106
Primary, lower secondary 33
Upper secondary 38
Tertiary 32
Unknown 3
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
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.

Flexible employee
An employee with an employment contract for a limited period or a flexible number of hours. Enclosed here are: - Temporary employee, permanent prospect - Temporary employee, >=1 year - Temporary employee, <1 year - On-call worker (including permanent and temporary employees with flexible hours) - Temporary agency worker - Employee flex, contract unknown.

When a person has more than one job, the job in which most hours are worked, is used.