Labour participation; key figures

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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 2023 13,326 3,230
Total male and female 15 to 74 years 1 Lower education 2023 3,467 1,376
Total male and female 15 to 74 years 2 Intermediate education 2023 4,935 1,091
Total male and female 15 to 74 years 3 Higher education 2023 4,848 728
Total male and female 15 to 74 years Unknown 2023 76 36
Total male and female 15 to 24 years Total 2023 2,169 361
Total male and female 15 to 24 years 1 Lower education 2023 908 200
Total male and female 15 to 24 years 2 Intermediate education 2023 966 130
Total male and female 15 to 24 years 3 Higher education 2023 293 30
Total male and female 15 to 24 years Unknown 2023 2 1
Total male and female 15 to 64 years Total 2023 11,388 1,656
Total male and female 15 to 64 years 1 Lower education 2023 2,677 703
Total male and female 15 to 64 years 2 Intermediate education 2023 4,301 579
Total male and female 15 to 64 years 3 Higher education 2023 4,345 349
Total male and female 15 to 64 years Unknown 2023 65 25
Total male and female 25 to 44 years Total 2023 4,489 445
Total male and female 25 to 44 years 1 Lower education 2023 585 149
Total male and female 25 to 44 years 2 Intermediate education 2023 1,535 159
Total male and female 25 to 44 years 3 Higher education 2023 2,342 130
Total male and female 25 to 44 years Unknown 2023 27 7
Total male and female 25 to 34 years Total 2023 2,325 223
Total male and female 25 to 34 years 1 Lower education 2023 249 66
Total male and female 25 to 34 years 2 Intermediate education 2023 803 87
Total male and female 25 to 34 years 3 Higher education 2023 1,261 68
Total male and female 25 to 34 years Unknown 2023 12 2
Total male and female 35 to 44 years Total 2023 2,163 222
Total male and female 35 to 44 years 1 Lower education 2023 335 83
Total male and female 35 to 44 years 2 Intermediate education 2023 733 72
Total male and female 35 to 44 years 3 Higher education 2023 1,081 61
Total male and female 35 to 44 years Unknown 2023 15 5
Total male and female 45 to 54 years Total 2023 2,295 284
Total male and female 45 to 54 years 1 Lower education 2023 457 116
Total male and female 45 to 54 years 2 Intermediate education 2023 869 97
Total male and female 45 to 54 years 3 Higher education 2023 952 62
Total male and female 45 to 54 years Unknown 2023 18 8
Total male and female 45 to 64 years Total 2023 4,730 850
Total male and female 45 to 64 years 1 Lower education 2023 1,184 355
Total male and female 45 to 64 years 2 Intermediate education 2023 1,800 290
Total male and female 45 to 64 years 3 Higher education 2023 1,710 189
Total male and female 45 to 64 years Unknown 2023 36 17
Total male and female 45 to 74 years Total 2023 6,667 2,424
Total male and female 45 to 74 years 1 Lower education 2023 1,974 1,027
Total male and female 45 to 74 years 2 Intermediate education 2023 2,433 802
Total male and female 45 to 74 years 3 Higher education 2023 2,213 568
Total male and female 45 to 74 years Unknown 2023 47 27
Total male and female 55 to 64 years Total 2023 2,434 567
Total male and female 55 to 64 years 1 Lower education 2023 727 238
Total male and female 55 to 64 years 2 Intermediate education 2023 932 193
Total male and female 55 to 64 years 3 Higher education 2023 757 127
Total male and female 55 to 64 years Unknown 2023 18 8
Total male and female 65 to 74 years Total 2023 1,938 1,574
Total male and female 65 to 74 years 1 Lower education 2023 790 673
Total male and female 65 to 74 years 2 Intermediate education 2023 633 512
Total male and female 65 to 74 years 3 Higher education 2023 503 378
Total male and female 65 to 74 years Unknown 2023 11 10
Total male and female 15 to 19 years Total 2023 1,009 208
Total male and female 15 to 19 years 1 Lower education 2023 753 169
Total male and female 15 to 19 years 2 Intermediate education 2023 250 38
Total male and female 15 to 19 years 3 Higher education 2023 6 1
Total male and female 15 to 19 years Unknown 2023 0 0
Total male and female 20 to 24 years Total 2023 1,160 153
Total male and female 20 to 24 years 1 Lower education 2023 155 30
Total male and female 20 to 24 years 2 Intermediate education 2023 715 92
Total male and female 20 to 24 years 3 Higher education 2023 288 30
Total male and female 20 to 24 years Unknown 2023 2 1
Total male and female 25 to 29 years Total 2023 1,148 114
Total male and female 25 to 29 years 1 Lower education 2023 106 30
Total male and female 25 to 29 years 2 Intermediate education 2023 412 45
Total male and female 25 to 29 years 3 Higher education 2023 626 38
Total male and female 25 to 29 years Unknown 2023 3 1
Total male and female 30 to 34 years Total 2023 1,178 109
Total male and female 30 to 34 years 1 Lower education 2023 143 35
Total male and female 30 to 34 years 2 Intermediate education 2023 391 41
Total male and female 30 to 34 years 3 Higher education 2023 635 31
Total male and female 30 to 34 years Unknown 2023 9 1
Total male and female 35 to 39 years Total 2023 1,109 112
Total male and female 35 to 39 years 1 Lower education 2023 158 42
Total male and female 35 to 39 years 2 Intermediate education 2023 377 37
Total male and female 35 to 39 years 3 Higher education 2023 565 30
Total male and female 35 to 39 years Unknown 2023 8 2
Total male and female 40 to 44 years Total 2023 1,055 109
Total male and female 40 to 44 years 1 Lower education 2023 177 41
Total male and female 40 to 44 years 2 Intermediate education 2023 355 35
Total male and female 40 to 44 years 3 Higher education 2023 516 31
Total male and female 40 to 44 years Unknown 2023 6 3
Total male and female 45 to 49 years Total 2023 1,044 115
Total male and female 45 to 49 years 1 Lower education 2023 181 45
Total male and female 45 to 49 years 2 Intermediate education 2023 382 39
Total male and female 45 to 49 years 3 Higher education 2023 475 28
Total male and female 45 to 49 years Unknown 2023 7 3
Total male and female 50 to 54 years Total 2023 1,251 168
Total male and female 50 to 54 years 1 Lower education 2023 276 71
Total male and female 50 to 54 years 2 Intermediate education 2023 487 57
Total male and female 50 to 54 years 3 Higher education 2023 478 34
Total male and female 50 to 54 years Unknown 2023 11 6
Total male and female 55 to 59 years Total 2023 1,254 204
Total male and female 55 to 59 years 1 Lower education 2023 337 88
Total male and female 55 to 59 years 2 Intermediate education 2023 505 69
Total male and female 55 to 59 years 3 Higher education 2023 403 44
Total male and female 55 to 59 years Unknown 2023 9 4
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 February 14, 2024:
The figures for 4th quarter and years 2023 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 May 15, 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.