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)	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 (%)
Total male and female	15 to 74 years	Total	2025	13,426	10,229	9,833	396	3.9	3,197	76.2	73.2
Total male and female	15 to 74 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	3,364	2,049	1,926	123	6.0	1,314	60.9	57.3
Total male and female	15 to 74 years	Upper secondary	2025	4,848	3,765	3,628	137	3.6	1,083	77.7	74.8
Total male and female	15 to 74 years	Tertiary	2025	5,128	4,369	4,235	134	3.1	759	85.2	82.6
Total male and female	15 to 74 years	Unknown	2025	87	46	44	2	5.0	41	53.2	50.6
Total male and female	15 to 24 years	Total	2025	2,169	1,807	1,648	160	8.8	362	83.3	76.0
Total male and female	15 to 24 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	925	721	643	78	10.8	204	78.0	69.5
Total male and female	15 to 24 years	Upper secondary	2025	924	800	742	58	7.2	124	86.6	80.3
Total male and female	15 to 24 years	Tertiary	2025	318	285	261	23	8.2	34	89.5	82.1
Total male and female	15 to 24 years	Unknown	2025	2	1	1	0	.	0	.	.
Total male and female	15 to 64 years	Total	2025	11,447	9,804	9,421	382	3.9	1,643	85.6	82.3
Total male and female	15 to 64 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	2,618	1,917	1,796	120	6.3	701	73.2	68.6
Total male and female	15 to 64 years	Upper secondary	2025	4,197	3,622	3,490	131	3.6	576	86.3	83.2
Total male and female	15 to 64 years	Tertiary	2025	4,560	4,221	4,093	128	3.0	339	92.6	89.8
Total male and female	15 to 64 years	Unknown	2025	72	44	42	2	5.2	27	61.8	58.6
Total male and female	25 to 44 years	Total	2025	4,606	4,157	4,023	135	3.2	449	90.3	87.3
Total male and female	25 to 44 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	575	419	396	24	5.6	156	72.9	68.8
Total male and female	25 to 44 years	Upper secondary	2025	1,520	1,357	1,316	42	3.1	163	89.3	86.5
Total male and female	25 to 44 years	Tertiary	2025	2,481	2,360	2,292	68	2.9	121	95.1	92.4
Total male and female	25 to 44 years	Unknown	2025	30	21	20	1	4.9	9	69.8	66.4
Total male and female	25 to 34 years	Total	2025	2,373	2,161	2,081	80	3.7	212	91.1	87.7
Total male and female	25 to 34 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	238	172	160	12	7.1	66	72.2	67.1
Total male and female	25 to 34 years	Upper secondary	2025	799	717	692	25	3.5	81	89.8	86.6
Total male and female	25 to 34 years	Tertiary	2025	1,326	1,265	1,223	42	3.3	61	95.4	92.3
Total male and female	25 to 34 years	Unknown	2025	10	7	6	1	.	3	.	.
Total male and female	35 to 44 years	Total	2025	2,233	1,997	1,942	55	2.8	237	89.4	86.9
Total male and female	35 to 44 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	337	247	236	11	4.6	90	73.4	70.0
Total male and female	35 to 44 years	Upper secondary	2025	721	640	623	17	2.6	81	88.7	86.4
Total male and female	35 to 44 years	Tertiary	2025	1,155	1,095	1,069	27	2.4	60	94.8	92.5
Total male and female	35 to 44 years	Unknown	2025	20	14	13	0	.	6	70.6	68.3
Total male and female	45 to 54 years	Total	2025	2,199	1,919	1,876	43	2.3	280	87.3	85.3
Total male and female	45 to 54 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	410	301	292	9	2.9	110	73.3	71.1
Total male and female	45 to 54 years	Upper secondary	2025	798	698	683	15	2.1	100	87.5	85.7
Total male and female	45 to 54 years	Tertiary	2025	973	909	889	20	2.2	64	93.4	91.4
Total male and female	45 to 54 years	Unknown	2025	18	12	11	0	.	6	64.1	63.0
Total male and female	45 to 64 years	Total	2025	4,672	3,839	3,751	88	2.3	833	82.2	80.3
Total male and female	45 to 64 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	1,118	776	757	19	2.4	342	69.4	67.7
Total male and female	45 to 64 years	Upper secondary	2025	1,753	1,464	1,432	32	2.2	289	83.5	81.7
Total male and female	45 to 64 years	Tertiary	2025	1,761	1,576	1,540	37	2.3	185	89.5	87.4
Total male and female	45 to 64 years	Unknown	2025	40	22	21	1	4.3	18	55.4	53.0
Total male and female	45 to 74 years	Total	2025	6,651	4,264	4,162	102	2.4	2,387	64.1	62.6
Total male and female	45 to 74 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	1,864	909	887	22	2.4	955	48.8	47.6
Total male and female	45 to 74 years	Upper secondary	2025	2,403	1,607	1,570	37	2.3	796	66.9	65.3
Total male and female	45 to 74 years	Tertiary	2025	2,328	1,724	1,682	42	2.5	605	74.0	72.2
Total male and female	45 to 74 years	Unknown	2025	56	24	23	1	4.0	31	43.8	42.0
Total male and female	55 to 64 years	Total	2025	2,473	1,920	1,875	45	2.3	553	77.6	75.8
Total male and female	55 to 64 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	708	475	465	10	2.1	232	67.2	65.8
Total male and female	55 to 64 years	Upper secondary	2025	955	766	749	17	2.2	189	80.2	78.4
Total male and female	55 to 64 years	Tertiary	2025	788	667	650	17	2.6	121	84.7	82.5
Total male and female	55 to 64 years	Unknown	2025	22	11	10	1	.	11	48.3	44.9
Total male and female	65 to 74 years	Total	2025	1,979	425	412	14	3.3	1,554	21.5	20.8
Total male and female	65 to 74 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	746	133	130	3	2.3	613	17.8	17.4
Total male and female	65 to 74 years	Upper secondary	2025	650	143	138	5	3.7	507	22.0	21.2
Total male and female	65 to 74 years	Tertiary	2025	568	148	142	6	3.8	420	26.0	25.0
Total male and female	65 to 74 years	Unknown	2025	15	2	2	0	.	13	13.5	13.4
Total male and female	15 to 19 years	Total	2025	1,008	797	712	85	10.7	211	79.1	70.6
Total male and female	15 to 19 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	757	587	520	66	11.3	170	77.5	68.8
Total male and female	15 to 19 years	Upper secondary	2025	245	205	187	18	9.0	40	83.7	76.1
Total male and female	15 to 19 years	Tertiary	2025	6	6	5	1	.	1	.	.
Total male and female	15 to 19 years	Unknown	2025	0	0	0	0	.	0	.	.
Total male and female	20 to 24 years	Total	2025	1,161	1,010	936	74	7.4	151	87.0	80.6
Total male and female	20 to 24 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	168	135	123	12	8.9	34	80.0	72.9
Total male and female	20 to 24 years	Upper secondary	2025	679	595	556	39	6.6	84	87.6	81.8
Total male and female	20 to 24 years	Tertiary	2025	312	279	256	23	8.2	33	89.5	82.2
Total male and female	20 to 24 years	Unknown	2025	1	1	1	0	.	0	.	.
Total male and female	25 to 29 years	Total	2025	1,174	1,070	1,025	45	4.2	104	91.2	87.3
Total male and female	25 to 29 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	113	82	76	6	6.9	32	72.0	67.1
Total male and female	25 to 29 years	Upper secondary	2025	400	359	345	14	3.9	41	89.7	86.2
Total male and female	25 to 29 years	Tertiary	2025	658	628	602	26	4.1	30	95.4	91.5
Total male and female	25 to 29 years	Unknown	2025	2	2	2	0	.	1	.	.
Total male and female	30 to 34 years	Total	2025	1,199	1,091	1,057	34	3.1	108	91.0	88.1
Total male and female	30 to 34 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	124	90	84	7	7.3	34	72.4	67.1
Total male and female	30 to 34 years	Upper secondary	2025	399	358	347	11	3.1	40	89.9	87.1
Total male and female	30 to 34 years	Tertiary	2025	668	637	621	16	2.5	31	95.4	93.0
Total male and female	30 to 34 years	Unknown	2025	8	5	5	0	.	3	.	.
Total male and female	35 to 39 years	Total	2025	1,155	1,036	1,009	27	2.6	119	89.7	87.4
Total male and female	35 to 39 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	162	117	110	6	5.6	45	72.1	68.1
Total male and female	35 to 39 years	Upper secondary	2025	370	329	321	8	2.3	42	88.7	86.6
Total male and female	35 to 39 years	Tertiary	2025	613	583	571	13	2.2	29	95.2	93.1
Total male and female	35 to 39 years	Unknown	2025	10	7	7	0	.	3	.	.
Total male and female	40 to 44 years	Total	2025	1,078	960	933	28	2.9	118	89.1	86.5
Total male and female	40 to 44 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	175	131	126	5	3.7	44	74.6	71.9
Total male and female	40 to 44 years	Upper secondary	2025	351	312	303	9	2.9	40	88.7	86.2
Total male and female	40 to 44 years	Tertiary	2025	543	512	498	14	2.7	31	94.3	91.8
Total male and female	40 to 44 years	Unknown	2025	10	6	6	0	.	3	.	.
Total male and female	45 to 49 years	Total	2025	1,040	917	899	19	2.0	123	88.2	86.4
Total male and female	45 to 49 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	174	127	123	4	2.8	47	73.0	70.9
Total male and female	45 to 49 years	Upper secondary	2025	367	323	316	6	2.0	44	88.0	86.3
Total male and female	45 to 49 years	Tertiary	2025	491	463	454	9	1.9	28	94.2	92.4
Total male and female	45 to 49 years	Unknown	2025	8	5	5	0	.	3	.	.
Total male and female	50 to 54 years	Total	2025	1,159	1,002	977	25	2.5	157	86.4	84.3
Total male and female	50 to 54 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	236	174	169	5	3.0	63	73.5	71.3
Total male and female	50 to 54 years	Upper secondary	2025	431	375	367	8	2.2	56	87.1	85.2
Total male and female	50 to 54 years	Tertiary	2025	482	446	435	11	2.4	35	92.7	90.4
Total male and female	50 to 54 years	Unknown	2025	10	6	6	0	.	3	.	.
Total male and female	55 to 59 years	Total	2025	1,259	1,055	1,031	24	2.3	205	83.7	81.9
Total male and female	55 to 59 years	Primary, lower secondary	2025	324	233	229	5	2.0	91	71.9	70.5
Total male and female	55 to 59 years	Upper secondary	2025	498	431	422	9	2.1	67	86.6	84.8
Total male and female	55 to 59 years	Tertiary	2025	425	384	374	10	2.6	41	90.4	88.1
Total male and female	55 to 59 years	Unknown	2025	13	6	6	0	.	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.

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.