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)	Not in the labour force (x 1 000)
Total male and female	15 to 74 years	Total	2025	13,426	3,197
Total male and female	15 to 74 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	3,364	1,314
Total male and female	15 to 74 years	Upper secondary	2025	4,848	1,083
Total male and female	15 to 74 years	Tertiary	2025	5,128	759
Total male and female	15 to 74 years	Unknown	2025	87	41
Total male and female	15 to 24 years	Total	2025	2,169	362
Total male and female	15 to 24 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	925	204
Total male and female	15 to 24 years	Upper secondary	2025	924	124
Total male and female	15 to 24 years	Tertiary	2025	318	34
Total male and female	15 to 24 years	Unknown	2025	2	0
Total male and female	15 to 64 years	Total	2025	11,447	1,643
Total male and female	15 to 64 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	2,618	701
Total male and female	15 to 64 years	Upper secondary	2025	4,197	576
Total male and female	15 to 64 years	Tertiary	2025	4,560	339
Total male and female	15 to 64 years	Unknown	2025	72	27
Total male and female	25 to 44 years	Total	2025	4,606	449
Total male and female	25 to 44 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	575	156
Total male and female	25 to 44 years	Upper secondary	2025	1,520	163
Total male and female	25 to 44 years	Tertiary	2025	2,481	121
Total male and female	25 to 44 years	Unknown	2025	30	9
Total male and female	25 to 34 years	Total	2025	2,373	212
Total male and female	25 to 34 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	238	66
Total male and female	25 to 34 years	Upper secondary	2025	799	81
Total male and female	25 to 34 years	Tertiary	2025	1,326	61
Total male and female	25 to 34 years	Unknown	2025	10	3
Total male and female	35 to 44 years	Total	2025	2,233	237
Total male and female	35 to 44 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	337	90
Total male and female	35 to 44 years	Upper secondary	2025	721	81
Total male and female	35 to 44 years	Tertiary	2025	1,155	60
Total male and female	35 to 44 years	Unknown	2025	20	6
Total male and female	45 to 54 years	Total	2025	2,199	280
Total male and female	45 to 54 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	410	110
Total male and female	45 to 54 years	Upper secondary	2025	798	100
Total male and female	45 to 54 years	Tertiary	2025	973	64
Total male and female	45 to 54 years	Unknown	2025	18	6
Total male and female	45 to 64 years	Total	2025	4,672	833
Total male and female	45 to 64 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	1,118	342
Total male and female	45 to 64 years	Upper secondary	2025	1,753	289
Total male and female	45 to 64 years	Tertiary	2025	1,761	185
Total male and female	45 to 64 years	Unknown	2025	40	18
Total male and female	45 to 74 years	Total	2025	6,651	2,387
Total male and female	45 to 74 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	1,864	955
Total male and female	45 to 74 years	Upper secondary	2025	2,403	796
Total male and female	45 to 74 years	Tertiary	2025	2,328	605
Total male and female	45 to 74 years	Unknown	2025	56	31
Total male and female	55 to 64 years	Total	2025	2,473	553
Total male and female	55 to 64 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	708	232
Total male and female	55 to 64 years	Upper secondary	2025	955	189
Total male and female	55 to 64 years	Tertiary	2025	788	121
Total male and female	55 to 64 years	Unknown	2025	22	11
Total male and female	65 to 74 years	Total	2025	1,979	1,554
Total male and female	65 to 74 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	746	613
Total male and female	65 to 74 years	Upper secondary	2025	650	507
Total male and female	65 to 74 years	Tertiary	2025	568	420
Total male and female	65 to 74 years	Unknown	2025	15	13
Total male and female	15 to 19 years	Total	2025	1,008	211
Total male and female	15 to 19 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	757	170
Total male and female	15 to 19 years	Upper secondary	2025	245	40
Total male and female	15 to 19 years	Tertiary	2025	6	1
Total male and female	15 to 19 years	Unknown	2025	0	0
Total male and female	20 to 24 years	Total	2025	1,161	151
Total male and female	20 to 24 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	168	34
Total male and female	20 to 24 years	Upper secondary	2025	679	84
Total male and female	20 to 24 years	Tertiary	2025	312	33
Total male and female	20 to 24 years	Unknown	2025	1	0
Total male and female	25 to 29 years	Total	2025	1,174	104
Total male and female	25 to 29 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	113	32
Total male and female	25 to 29 years	Upper secondary	2025	400	41
Total male and female	25 to 29 years	Tertiary	2025	658	30
Total male and female	25 to 29 years	Unknown	2025	2	1
Total male and female	30 to 34 years	Total	2025	1,199	108
Total male and female	30 to 34 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	124	34
Total male and female	30 to 34 years	Upper secondary	2025	399	40
Total male and female	30 to 34 years	Tertiary	2025	668	31
Total male and female	30 to 34 years	Unknown	2025	8	3
Total male and female	35 to 39 years	Total	2025	1,155	119
Total male and female	35 to 39 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	162	45
Total male and female	35 to 39 years	Upper secondary	2025	370	42
Total male and female	35 to 39 years	Tertiary	2025	613	29
Total male and female	35 to 39 years	Unknown	2025	10	3
Total male and female	40 to 44 years	Total	2025	1,078	118
Total male and female	40 to 44 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	175	44
Total male and female	40 to 44 years	Upper secondary	2025	351	40
Total male and female	40 to 44 years	Tertiary	2025	543	31
Total male and female	40 to 44 years	Unknown	2025	10	3
Total male and female	45 to 49 years	Total	2025	1,040	123
Total male and female	45 to 49 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	174	47
Total male and female	45 to 49 years	Upper secondary	2025	367	44
Total male and female	45 to 49 years	Tertiary	2025	491	28
Total male and female	45 to 49 years	Unknown	2025	8	3
Total male and female	50 to 54 years	Total	2025	1,159	157
Total male and female	50 to 54 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	236	63
Total male and female	50 to 54 years	Upper secondary	2025	431	56
Total male and female	50 to 54 years	Tertiary	2025	482	35
Total male and female	50 to 54 years	Unknown	2025	10	3
Total male and female	55 to 59 years	Total	2025	1,259	205
Total male and female	55 to 59 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	324	91
Total male and female	55 to 59 years	Upper secondary	2025	498	67
Total male and female	55 to 59 years	Tertiary	2025	425	41
Total male and female	55 to 59 years	Unknown	2025	13	6
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.
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.