Labour participation; key figures

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Sex Age 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 5,155 4,386 4,243 143 3.3 769 85.1 82.3
15 to 24 years 342 307 276 31 10.2 35 89.9 80.7
15 to 64 years 4,588 4,239 4,101 138 3.2 349 92.4 89.4
25 to 44 years 2,486 2,364 2,295 69 2.9 122 95.1 92.3
25 to 34 years 1,328 1,265 1,223 42 3.3 63 95.2 92.1
35 to 44 years 1,159 1,100 1,072 28 2.5 59 94.9 92.5
45 to 54 years 972 902 883 19 2.1 69 92.8 90.9
45 to 64 years 1,760 1,568 1,531 37 2.4 193 89.1 87.0
45 to 74 years 2,327 1,714 1,672 42 2.5 613 73.7 71.8
55 to 64 years 789 666 647 18 2.8 123 84.4 82.1
65 to 74 years 567 147 141 5 3.7 420 25.9 24.9
15 to 19 years 8 6 6 0 . 2 . .
20 to 24 years 333 301 269 31 10.4 33 90.2 80.9
25 to 29 years 659 626 598 28 4.5 33 95.0 90.7
30 to 34 years 669 638 625 13 2.1 31 95.4 93.5
35 to 39 years 619 590 574 15 2.6 30 95.2 92.7
40 to 44 years 539 510 498 12 2.4 29 94.6 92.3
45 to 49 years 484 455 446 8 1.8 29 93.9 92.3
50 to 54 years 488 448 437 11 2.4 40 91.8 89.6
55 to 59 years 426 385 374 12 3.0 41 90.4 87.7
60 to 64 years 362 280 273 7 2.4 82 77.3 75.4
65 to 69 years 317 108 104 4 3.9 209 34.1 32.8
70 to 74 years 249 38 37 1 3.0 211 15.4 14.9
15 years to OAP-age 4,724 4,307 4,167 140 3.2 417 91.2 88.2
45 years to OAP-age 1,896 1,636 1,596 39 2.4 260 86.3 84.2
OAP-age to 74 years 431 79 76 3 3.9 352 18.2 17.5
Male 15 to 74 years 2,512 2,168 2,096 73 3.3 343 86.3 83.4
15 to 24 years 151 133 114 19 14.1 18 87.9 75.5
15 to 64 years 2,192 2,070 2,001 69 3.3 122 94.4 91.3
25 to 44 years 1,174 1,135 1,104 31 2.7 39 96.7 94.0
25 to 34 years 623 598 580 17 2.9 25 95.9 93.2
35 to 44 years 551 538 524 14 2.6 14 97.5 95.0
45 to 54 years 455 435 426 9 2.2 20 95.7 93.6
45 to 64 years 866 801 783 19 2.3 65 92.5 90.4
45 to 74 years 1,186 900 878 23 2.5 286 75.9 74.0
55 to 64 years 411 366 357 9 2.5 45 89.1 86.8
65 to 74 years 320 99 95 4 3.9 221 30.9 29.7
15 to 19 years 4 3 3 0 . 1 . .
20 to 24 years 148 130 112 19 14.3 17 88.3 75.7
25 to 29 years 304 289 278 12 4.0 15 95.0 91.2
30 to 34 years 318 308 303 6 1.8 10 96.9 95.1
35 to 39 years 299 291 281 10 3.3 8 97.4 94.2
40 to 44 years 253 247 242 4 1.8 6 97.6 95.9
45 to 49 years 225 215 212 4 1.8 10 95.7 94.0
50 to 54 years 230 220 214 6 2.5 10 95.7 93.2
55 to 59 years 216 204 200 5 2.4 12 94.5 92.2
60 to 64 years 194 162 157 4 2.8 33 83.1 80.8
65 to 69 years 175 72 70 3 3.8 103 41.3 39.7
70 to 74 years 145 27 25 1 . 119 18.3 17.5
15 years to OAP-age 2,267 2,114 2,044 70 3.3 153 93.2 90.1
45 years to OAP-age 942 846 826 20 2.4 96 89.8 87.7
OAP-age to 74 years 245 54 52 2 4.2 190 22.2 21.3
Female 15 to 74 years 2,643 2,217 2,147 70 3.2 426 83.9 81.2
15 to 24 years 190 174 161 13 7.2 16 91.5 84.9
15 to 64 years 2,397 2,170 2,101 69 3.2 227 90.5 87.6
25 to 44 years 1,312 1,229 1,191 38 3.1 83 93.7 90.8
25 to 34 years 705 667 643 24 3.7 38 94.6 91.2
35 to 44 years 607 562 549 14 2.4 45 92.6 90.3
45 to 54 years 517 467 458 9 2.0 50 90.4 88.6
45 to 64 years 894 766 748 18 2.4 128 85.7 83.6
45 to 74 years 1,141 814 794 20 2.4 327 71.4 69.6
55 to 64 years 378 299 290 9 3.0 78 79.3 76.9
65 to 74 years 246 48 46 1 3.1 199 19.3 18.7
15 to 19 years 5 4 4 0 . 1 . .
20 to 24 years 186 170 158 13 7.4 15 91.8 85.0
25 to 29 years 355 337 320 17 5.0 17 95.1 90.3
30 to 34 years 350 330 322 8 2.3 20 94.2 92.0
35 to 39 years 321 298 293 5 1.8 22 93.1 91.4
40 to 44 years 287 264 256 8 3.1 23 92.0 89.2
45 to 49 years 259 239 235 4 1.8 20 92.4 90.8
50 to 54 years 258 228 223 5 2.2 30 88.3 86.3
55 to 59 years 210 181 174 7 3.7 29 86.2 83.0
60 to 64 years 168 119 116 2 2.0 49 70.6 69.2
65 to 69 years 142 36 34 1 4.1 106 25.2 24.2
70 to 74 years 104 12 12 0 . 92 11.3 11.3
15 years to OAP-age 2,456 2,193 2,123 70 3.2 264 89.3 86.4
45 years to OAP-age 954 790 771 19 2.4 164 82.8 80.8
OAP-age to 74 years 187 24 23 1 . 162 13.0 12.6
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 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.