Labour participation; key figures

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Age Highest educational level Labour force and not in the labour force (x 1 000) Labour force Labour force (x 1 000) Labour force Employed labour force Employed labour force (x 1 000) Labour force Unemployed labour force (x 1 000) Labour force Unemployment rate (%) Not in the labour force (x 1 000) Gross labour participation rate (%) Net labour participation rate (%)
15 to 74 years Total 13,413 10,250 9,846 404 3.9 3,163 76.4 73.4
Primary, lower secondary 3,312 2,030 1,910 120 5.9 1,283 61.3 57.7
Upper secondary 4,855 3,782 3,642 139 3.7 1,073 77.9 75.0
Tertiary 5,155 4,386 4,243 143 3.3 769 85.1 82.3
Unknown 91 53 51 2 4.0 38 58.4 56.0
15 to 24 years Total 2,154 1,819 1,654 165 9.1 335 84.5 76.8
Primary, lower secondary 876 698 625 73 10.5 178 79.7 71.3
Upper secondary 935 814 753 61 7.4 122 87.0 80.5
Tertiary 342 307 276 31 10.2 35 89.9 80.7
Unknown 1 1 1 0 . 0 . .
15 to 64 years Total 11,430 9,814 9,423 391 4.0 1,616 85.9 82.4
Primary, lower secondary 2,559 1,891 1,774 116 6.2 668 73.9 69.3
Upper secondary 4,206 3,634 3,499 135 3.7 571 86.4 83.2
Tertiary 4,588 4,239 4,101 138 3.2 349 92.4 89.4
Unknown 77 50 48 2 4.2 27 64.9 62.2
25 to 44 years Total 4,609 4,160 4,024 137 3.3 449 90.3 87.3
Primary, lower secondary 568 415 391 24 5.8 153 73.1 68.9
Upper secondary 1,520 1,356 1,313 42 3.1 164 89.2 86.4
Tertiary 2,486 2,364 2,295 69 2.9 122 95.1 92.3
Unknown 34 25 24 1 . 9 72.5 69.7
25 to 34 years Total 2,372 2,160 2,080 80 3.7 212 91.1 87.7
Primary, lower secondary 232 167 156 12 7.1 64 72.2 67.1
Upper secondary 802 721 695 26 3.5 81 89.9 86.7
Tertiary 1,328 1,265 1,223 42 3.3 63 95.2 92.1
Unknown 11 8 7 1 . 3 . .
35 to 44 years Total 2,237 2,000 1,943 57 2.8 237 89.4 86.9
Primary, lower secondary 336 248 236 12 5.0 88 73.8 70.1
Upper secondary 718 635 618 17 2.6 83 88.4 86.1
Tertiary 1,159 1,100 1,072 28 2.5 59 94.9 92.5
Unknown 24 17 17 0 . 6 . .
45 to 54 years Total 2,192 1,908 1,864 44 2.3 283 87.1 85.1
Primary, lower secondary 410 301 291 10 3.3 109 73.5 71.1
Upper secondary 791 692 677 15 2.2 99 87.5 85.5
Tertiary 972 902 883 19 2.1 69 92.8 90.9
Unknown 19 13 13 0 . 6 . .
45 to 64 years Total 4,667 3,835 3,745 90 2.3 832 82.2 80.2
Primary, lower secondary 1,115 777 758 19 2.4 337 69.7 68.0
Upper secondary 1,750 1,465 1,433 32 2.2 285 83.7 81.9
Tertiary 1,760 1,568 1,531 37 2.4 193 89.1 87.0
Unknown 42 25 23 1 . 17 58.6 55.8
45 to 74 years Total 6,650 4,271 4,168 103 2.4 2,379 64.2 62.7
Primary, lower secondary 1,868 916 893 23 2.5 952 49.1 47.8
Upper secondary 2,400 1,613 1,576 36 2.3 787 67.2 65.7
Tertiary 2,327 1,714 1,672 42 2.5 613 73.7 71.8
Unknown 56 28 27 1 . 28 49.5 47.4
55 to 64 years Total 2,476 1,926 1,881 46 2.4 549 77.8 76.0
Primary, lower secondary 705 476 467 9 1.9 229 67.5 66.2
Upper secondary 959 773 756 17 2.2 186 80.6 78.8
Tertiary 789 666 647 18 2.8 123 84.4 82.1
Unknown 23 12 11 1 . 11 . .
65 to 74 years Total 1,983 436 423 13 3.0 1,547 22.0 21.3
Primary, lower secondary 753 139 135 4 2.6 614 18.5 18.0
Upper secondary 649 147 143 4 2.7 502 22.7 22.1
Tertiary 567 147 141 5 3.7 420 25.9 24.9
Unknown 14 3 3 0 . 11 . .
15 to 19 years Total 1,003 808 728 80 9.9 195 80.6 72.6
Primary, lower secondary 713 566 502 64 11.3 147 79.4 70.4
Upper secondary 281 235 219 16 6.9 46 83.8 78.0
Tertiary 8 6 6 0 . 2 . .
Unknown 0 0 0 0 . 0 . .
20 to 24 years Total 1,151 1,011 926 85 8.4 140 87.8 80.5
Primary, lower secondary 163 132 123 9 6.9 31 81.0 75.4
Upper secondary 654 578 534 44 7.7 76 88.4 81.6
Tertiary 333 301 269 31 10.4 33 90.2 80.9
Unknown 1 0 0 0 . 0 . .
25 to 29 years Total 1,174 1,072 1,024 48 4.5 102 91.3 87.2
Primary, lower secondary 109 79 74 5 6.8 30 72.2 67.3
Upper secondary 404 365 351 14 3.9 39 90.4 86.9
Tertiary 659 626 598 28 4.5 33 95.0 90.7
Unknown 2 2 2 0 . 0 . .
30 to 34 years Total 1,198 1,088 1,057 32 2.9 110 90.8 88.2
Primary, lower secondary 122 88 82 6 7.3 34 72.2 66.9
Upper secondary 398 356 345 11 3.1 42 89.3 86.5
Tertiary 669 638 625 13 2.1 31 95.4 93.5
Unknown 9 6 5 1 . 3 . .
35 to 39 years Total 1,158 1,040 1,010 30 2.9 117 89.9 87.3
Primary, lower secondary 163 119 111 8 6.5 44 72.9 68.1
Upper secondary 364 322 315 7 2.2 41 88.6 86.6
Tertiary 619 590 574 15 2.6 30 95.2 92.7
Unknown 12 10 10 0 . 2 . .
40 to 44 years Total 1,079 960 933 27 2.8 119 88.9 86.5
Primary, lower secondary 174 130 125 5 3.6 44 74.6 71.9
Upper secondary 354 312 303 9 3.0 42 88.2 85.5
Tertiary 539 510 498 12 2.4 29 94.6 92.3
Unknown 12 7 7 0 . 4 . .
45 to 49 years Total 1,039 914 897 18 1.9 124 88.0 86.3
Primary, lower secondary 170 124 121 2 2.0 47 72.6 71.2
Upper secondary 376 331 324 7 2.0 45 88.0 86.2
Tertiary 484 455 446 8 1.8 29 93.9 92.3
Unknown 8 5 5 0 . 3 . .
50 to 54 years Total 1,153 994 967 26 2.7 159 86.2 83.9
Primary, lower secondary 240 178 170 7 4.1 62 74.1 71.1
Upper secondary 415 361 352 9 2.4 54 87.0 84.9
Tertiary 488 448 437 11 2.4 40 91.8 89.6
Unknown 11 8 8 0 . 3 . .
55 to 59 years Total 1,260 1,059 1,034 25 2.4 202 84.0 82.0
Primary, lower secondary 321 233 229 4 1.5 88 72.6 71.5
Upper secondary 500 434 424 10 2.3 66 86.8 84.8
Tertiary 426 385 374 12 3.0 41 90.4 87.7
Unknown 13 6 6 0 . 7 . .
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 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.

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.
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.
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.
Unemployed labour force
People who don’t have paid work, recently looked for work and are 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.

Unemployment rate
The unemployed labour force as a percentage of the (employed and 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.
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.

Gross labour participation rate
The percentage of the (employed and unemployed) labour force in the population (labour force and 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 74 years old.
Net labour participation rate
The percentage of the employed labour force in the population (labour force and 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 74 years old.