Labour participation; key figures

Labour participation; key figures

Sex Age Highest educational level Periods Labour force Employed labour force Professional status Employee Permanent employee (x 1 000) 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)
Total male and female 15 to 74 years Total 2024 1st quarter 5,459 1,255 325
Total male and female 15 to 74 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 922 194 57
Total male and female 15 to 74 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 2,066 445 122
Total male and female 15 to 74 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 2,453 609 146
Total male and female 15 to 74 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 19 7 1
Total male and female 15 to 24 years Total 2024 1st quarter 308 77 4
Total male and female 15 to 24 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 80 20 2
Total male and female 15 to 24 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 159 44 2
Total male and female 15 to 24 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 69 12 0
Total male and female 15 to 24 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 0 1 0
Total male and female 15 to 64 years Total 2024 1st quarter 5,321 1,121 309
Total male and female 15 to 64 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 868 166 52
Total male and female 15 to 64 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 2,023 410 115
Total male and female 15 to 64 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 2,412 539 141
Total male and female 15 to 64 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 17 6 1
Total male and female 25 to 44 years Total 2024 1st quarter 2,416 471 119
Total male and female 25 to 44 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 218 59 13
Total male and female 25 to 44 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 824 177 46
Total male and female 25 to 44 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 1,369 234 60
Total male and female 25 to 44 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 6 1 1
Total male and female 25 to 34 years Total 2024 1st quarter 1,188 197 35
Total male and female 25 to 34 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 84 25 3
Total male and female 25 to 34 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 406 85 17
Total male and female 25 to 34 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 696 87 16
Total male and female 25 to 34 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 2 0 0
Total male and female 35 to 44 years Total 2024 1st quarter 1,229 274 84
Total male and female 35 to 44 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 134 34 10
Total male and female 35 to 44 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 418 92 30
Total male and female 35 to 44 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 673 147 44
Total male and female 35 to 44 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 4 1 0
Total male and female 45 to 54 years Total 2024 1st quarter 1,313 291 98
Total male and female 45 to 54 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 219 40 15
Total male and female 45 to 54 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 519 91 35
Total male and female 45 to 54 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 569 157 47
Total male and female 45 to 54 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 6 3 0
Total male and female 45 to 64 years Total 2024 1st quarter 2,596 573 186
Total male and female 45 to 64 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 570 86 37
Total male and female 45 to 64 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 1,040 188 67
Total male and female 45 to 64 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 975 293 81
Total male and female 45 to 64 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 11 5 0
Total male and female 45 to 74 years Total 2024 1st quarter 2,734 706 202
Total male and female 45 to 74 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 624 114 42
Total male and female 45 to 74 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 1,083 224 73
Total male and female 45 to 74 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 1,015 363 86
Total male and female 45 to 74 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 13 5 0
Total male and female 55 to 64 years Total 2024 1st quarter 1,283 282 88
Total male and female 55 to 64 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 350 46 22
Total male and female 55 to 64 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 522 97 32
Total male and female 55 to 64 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 406 136 34
Total male and female 55 to 64 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 5 2 0
Total male and female 65 to 74 years Total 2024 1st quarter 139 134 16
Total male and female 65 to 74 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 54 28 5
Total male and female 65 to 74 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 43 36 6
Total male and female 65 to 74 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 40 70 5
Total male and female 65 to 74 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 2 0 0
Total male and female 15 to 19 years Total 2024 1st quarter 63 14 0
Total male and female 15 to 19 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 45 7 0
Total male and female 15 to 19 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 17 7 0
Total male and female 15 to 19 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 1 0 0
Total male and female 15 to 19 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 0 0 0
Total male and female 20 to 24 years Total 2024 1st quarter 246 63 4
Total male and female 20 to 24 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 36 13 2
Total male and female 20 to 24 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 142 38 2
Total male and female 20 to 24 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 68 12 0
Total male and female 20 to 24 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 0 1 0
Total male and female 25 to 29 years Total 2024 1st quarter 531 72 12
Total male and female 25 to 29 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 32 8 1
Total male and female 25 to 29 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 190 34 5
Total male and female 25 to 29 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 309 30 6
Total male and female 25 to 29 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 0 0 0
Total male and female 30 to 34 years Total 2024 1st quarter 657 125 23
Total male and female 30 to 34 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 52 17 2
Total male and female 30 to 34 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 215 51 11
Total male and female 30 to 34 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 388 57 10
Total male and female 30 to 34 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 1 0 0
Total male and female 35 to 39 years Total 2024 1st quarter 640 133 39
Total male and female 35 to 39 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 63 16 5
Total male and female 35 to 39 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 211 44 16
Total male and female 35 to 39 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 364 72 19
Total male and female 35 to 39 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 2 1 0
Total male and female 40 to 44 years Total 2024 1st quarter 588 142 45
Total male and female 40 to 44 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 70 18 6
Total male and female 40 to 44 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 207 48 14
Total male and female 40 to 44 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 309 75 25
Total male and female 40 to 44 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 2 0 0
Total male and female 45 to 49 years Total 2024 1st quarter 610 130 43
Total male and female 45 to 49 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 88 17 5
Total male and female 45 to 49 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 230 43 15
Total male and female 45 to 49 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 289 69 23
Total male and female 45 to 49 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 3 1 0
Total male and female 50 to 54 years Total 2024 1st quarter 703 161 55
Total male and female 50 to 54 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 131 23 10
Total male and female 50 to 54 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 289 48 20
Total male and female 50 to 54 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 280 88 24
Total male and female 50 to 54 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 3 2 0
Total male and female 55 to 59 years Total 2024 1st quarter 711 148 54
Total male and female 55 to 59 years 1 Lower education 2024 1st quarter 168 24 13
Total male and female 55 to 59 years 2 Intermediate education 2024 1st quarter 297 51 21
Total male and female 55 to 59 years 3 Higher education 2024 1st quarter 243 72 21
Total male and female 55 to 59 years Unknown 2024 1st quarter 2 1 0
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
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.
Employee
A person who makes arrangements in a collective agreement for labour purposes and who is being paid in return.

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

Permanent employee
An employee with an employment contract for an indefinite period and for a fixed number of hours.

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.