Labour participation; key figures

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Age Highest educational level Labour force Employed labour force Professional status Self-employed person Self-employed without employees (x 1 000) Labour force Employed labour force Professional status Self-employed person Self-employed with employees (x 1 000)
15 to 74 years Total 1,147 313
Primary, lower secondary 178 51
Upper secondary 394 118
Tertiary 568 144
Unknown 6 0
15 to 24 years Total 54 2
Primary, lower secondary 15 1
Upper secondary 28 1
Tertiary 11 0
Unknown 0 0
15 to 64 years Total 1,012 295
Primary, lower secondary 149 46
Upper secondary 353 112
Tertiary 504 138
Unknown 6 0
25 to 44 years Total 400 111
Primary, lower secondary 52 12
Upper secondary 141 41
Tertiary 205 58
Unknown 2 0
25 to 34 years Total 166 32
Primary, lower secondary 24 3
Upper secondary 66 13
Tertiary 76 16
Unknown 0 0
35 to 44 years Total 234 78
Primary, lower secondary 28 9
Upper secondary 75 27
Tertiary 129 42
Unknown 2 0
45 to 54 years Total 268 93
Primary, lower secondary 33 13
Upper secondary 85 36
Tertiary 148 44
Unknown 2 0
45 to 64 years Total 558 183
Primary, lower secondary 83 33
Upper secondary 184 70
Tertiary 288 80
Unknown 4 0
45 to 74 years Total 692 201
Primary, lower secondary 112 39
Upper secondary 225 76
Tertiary 351 86
Unknown 4 0
55 to 64 years Total 290 90
Primary, lower secondary 49 21
Upper secondary 99 33
Tertiary 140 36
Unknown 2 0
65 to 74 years Total 134 18
Primary, lower secondary 29 6
Upper secondary 41 7
Tertiary 64 6
Unknown 0 0
15 to 19 years Total 12 0
Primary, lower secondary 7 0
Upper secondary 5 0
Tertiary 0 0
Unknown 0 0
20 to 24 years Total 42 1
Primary, lower secondary 8 1
Upper secondary 23 1
Tertiary 11 0
Unknown 0 0
25 to 29 years Total 70 9
Primary, lower secondary 10 1
Upper secondary 33 5
Tertiary 27 3
Unknown 0 0
30 to 34 years Total 97 23
Primary, lower secondary 14 1
Upper secondary 33 8
Tertiary 49 14
Unknown 0 0
35 to 39 years Total 114 35
Primary, lower secondary 9 4
Upper secondary 38 13
Tertiary 65 18
Unknown 1 0
40 to 44 years Total 120 44
Primary, lower secondary 18 5
Upper secondary 37 14
Tertiary 64 24
Unknown 1 0
45 to 49 years Total 123 48
Primary, lower secondary 16 6
Upper secondary 34 18
Tertiary 73 24
Unknown 1 0
50 to 54 years Total 145 45
Primary, lower secondary 18 7
Upper secondary 51 18
Tertiary 75 20
Unknown 1 0
55 to 59 years Total 147 51
Primary, lower secondary 21 12
Upper secondary 51 21
Tertiary 72 18
Unknown 2 0
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 April 30, 2026:
The figures for the 1st quarter 2026 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 July 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.
Self-employed person
A person who works for his/her own account and risk
-  in an own company or practice (self-employed entrepreneur), or
-  as an owner-manager, or
-  in the company or practice of a family member (contributing family worker), or
-  as another self-employed person (for example in an independent profession).

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

Self-employed without employees
A person who works for his/her own account and risk
-  in an own company or practice (self-employed entrepreneur), or
-  as an owner-manager, or
-  as another self-employed person (for example in an independent profession), and
-  who has no employees.

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

Self-employed with employees
A person who works for his/her own account and risk
-  in an own company or practice (self-employed entrepreneur), or
-  as an owner-manager, and
-  who has employees.

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