Labour participation; key figures

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 2024 1st quarter 13,375 3,222
Total male and female 15 to 74 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 3,505 1,370
Total male and female 15 to 74 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 4,918 1,091
Total male and female 15 to 74 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 4,875 727
Total male and female 15 to 74 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 77 34
Total male and female 15 to 24 years Total 2024 1st quarter 2,179 382
Total male and female 15 to 24 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 962 219
Total male and female 15 to 24 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 924 125
Total male and female 15 to 24 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 289 37
Total male and female 15 to 24 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 3 1
Total male and female 15 to 64 years Total 2024 1st quarter 11,429 1,672
Total male and female 15 to 64 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 2,749 737
Total male and female 15 to 64 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 4,284 579
Total male and female 15 to 64 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 4,334 335
Total male and female 15 to 64 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 62 21
Total male and female 25 to 44 years Total 2024 1st quarter 4,536 451
Total male and female 25 to 44 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 596 155
Total male and female 25 to 44 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 1,570 162
Total male and female 25 to 44 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 2,345 126
Total male and female 25 to 44 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 25 8
Total male and female 25 to 34 years Total 2024 1st quarter 2,349 219
Total male and female 25 to 34 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 253 67
Total male and female 25 to 34 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 825 83
Total male and female 25 to 34 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 1,261 66
Total male and female 25 to 34 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 10 2
Total male and female 35 to 44 years Total 2024 1st quarter 2,187 231
Total male and female 35 to 44 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 343 87
Total male and female 35 to 44 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 746 79
Total male and female 35 to 44 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 1,084 60
Total male and female 35 to 44 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 15 5
Total male and female 45 to 54 years Total 2024 1st quarter 2,269 280
Total male and female 45 to 54 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 460 120
Total male and female 45 to 54 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 845 92
Total male and female 45 to 54 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 944 63
Total male and female 45 to 54 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 19 5
Total male and female 45 to 64 years Total 2024 1st quarter 4,714 840
Total male and female 45 to 64 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 1,190 363
Total male and female 45 to 64 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 1,790 292
Total male and female 45 to 64 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 1,700 173
Total male and female 45 to 64 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 34 12
Total male and female 45 to 74 years Total 2024 1st quarter 6,661 2,390
Total male and female 45 to 74 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 1,946 997
Total male and female 45 to 74 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 2,424 803
Total male and female 45 to 74 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 2,241 565
Total male and female 45 to 74 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 50 25
Total male and female 55 to 64 years Total 2024 1st quarter 2,445 560
Total male and female 55 to 64 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 729 243
Total male and female 55 to 64 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 945 200
Total male and female 55 to 64 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 756 110
Total male and female 55 to 64 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 15 7
Total male and female 65 to 74 years Total 2024 1st quarter 1,947 1,550
Total male and female 65 to 74 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 757 634
Total male and female 65 to 74 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 634 511
Total male and female 65 to 74 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 541 392
Total male and female 65 to 74 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 15 13
Total male and female 15 to 19 years Total 2024 1st quarter 1,010 220
Total male and female 15 to 19 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 778 186
Total male and female 15 to 19 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 225 33
Total male and female 15 to 19 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 7 1
Total male and female 15 to 19 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 0 0
Total male and female 20 to 24 years Total 2024 1st quarter 1,169 162
Total male and female 20 to 24 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 184 33
Total male and female 20 to 24 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 699 92
Total male and female 20 to 24 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 283 36
Total male and female 20 to 24 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 3 1
Total male and female 25 to 29 years Total 2024 1st quarter 1,158 114
Total male and female 25 to 29 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 110 32
Total male and female 25 to 29 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 417 44
Total male and female 25 to 29 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 628 37
Total male and female 25 to 29 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 3 0
Total male and female 30 to 34 years Total 2024 1st quarter 1,191 106
Total male and female 30 to 34 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 144 36
Total male and female 30 to 34 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 408 39
Total male and female 30 to 34 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 633 29
Total male and female 30 to 34 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 6 2
Total male and female 35 to 39 years Total 2024 1st quarter 1,124 113
Total male and female 35 to 39 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 162 42
Total male and female 35 to 39 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 379 40
Total male and female 35 to 39 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 576 28
Total male and female 35 to 39 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 7 2
Total male and female 40 to 44 years Total 2024 1st quarter 1,063 119
Total male and female 40 to 44 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 181 46
Total male and female 40 to 44 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 367 39
Total male and female 40 to 44 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 507 31
Total male and female 40 to 44 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 8 3
Total male and female 45 to 49 years Total 2024 1st quarter 1,041 119
Total male and female 45 to 49 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 194 50
Total male and female 45 to 49 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 374 37
Total male and female 45 to 49 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 463 29
Total male and female 45 to 49 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 10 3
Total male and female 50 to 54 years Total 2024 1st quarter 1,228 161
Total male and female 50 to 54 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 266 71
Total male and female 50 to 54 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 471 55
Total male and female 50 to 54 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 481 34
Total male and female 50 to 54 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 10 2
Total male and female 55 to 59 years Total 2024 1st quarter 1,254 207
Total male and female 55 to 59 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 340 97
Total male and female 55 to 59 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 496 71
Total male and female 55 to 59 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 410 36
Total male and female 55 to 59 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 7 3
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Dataset is not available.


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 May 15, 2024:
The figures for 1st quarter 2024 are added.

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 on August 12, 2024.

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.