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 1,190 311
Primary, lower secondary 186 55
Upper secondary 406 118
Tertiary 589 137
Unknown 9 1
15 to 24 years Total 61 2
Primary, lower secondary 15 1
Upper secondary 35 1
Tertiary 11 0
Unknown 0 0
15 to 64 years Total 1,055 291
Primary, lower secondary 159 45
Upper secondary 363 112
Tertiary 524 132
Unknown 9 1
25 to 44 years Total 414 113
Primary, lower secondary 53 13
Upper secondary 139 44
Tertiary 217 55
Unknown 5 0
25 to 34 years Total 169 34
Primary, lower secondary 21 4
Upper secondary 67 16
Tertiary 80 14
Unknown 1 0
35 to 44 years Total 246 78
Primary, lower secondary 32 9
Upper secondary 72 28
Tertiary 137 41
Unknown 4 0
45 to 54 years Total 287 88
Primary, lower secondary 41 11
Upper secondary 91 35
Tertiary 152 42
Unknown 3 0
45 to 64 years Total 580 176
Primary, lower secondary 91 31
Upper secondary 189 67
Tertiary 296 77
Unknown 4 1
45 to 74 years Total 714 196
Primary, lower secondary 117 40
Upper secondary 233 73
Tertiary 361 82
Unknown 4 1
55 to 64 years Total 293 88
Primary, lower secondary 49 20
Upper secondary 98 32
Tertiary 144 36
Unknown 1 0
65 to 74 years Total 134 20
Primary, lower secondary 26 10
Upper secondary 43 6
Tertiary 65 5
Unknown 0 0
15 to 19 years Total 15 1
Primary, lower secondary 9 0
Upper secondary 6 0
Tertiary 0 0
Unknown 0 0
20 to 24 years Total 46 2
Primary, lower secondary 7 1
Upper secondary 29 1
Tertiary 10 0
Unknown 0 0
25 to 29 years Total 71 12
Primary, lower secondary 10 2
Upper secondary 32 7
Tertiary 28 3
Unknown 0 0
30 to 34 years Total 98 23
Primary, lower secondary 11 2
Upper secondary 34 9
Tertiary 52 11
Unknown 1 0
35 to 39 years Total 126 34
Primary, lower secondary 15 4
Upper secondary 38 14
Tertiary 70 17
Unknown 3 0
40 to 44 years Total 120 44
Primary, lower secondary 17 6
Upper secondary 35 14
Tertiary 67 24
Unknown 1 0
45 to 49 years Total 129 43
Primary, lower secondary 21 2
Upper secondary 41 18
Tertiary 67 22
Unknown 0 0
50 to 54 years Total 158 45
Primary, lower secondary 21 9
Upper secondary 51 17
Tertiary 84 20
Unknown 2 0
55 to 59 years Total 156 50
Primary, lower secondary 24 11
Upper secondary 52 20
Tertiary 79 19
Unknown 1 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 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.
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.