Labour participation; position in the household

View full table Show description
Sex Age Labour force Employed labour force Working hours Full-time (x 1 000) Labour force Employed labour force Working hours Part-time Less than 20 working hours a week Less than 20 working hours a week (x 1 000) Labour force Employed labour force Working hours Part-time Less than 20 working hours a week Less than 12 working hours a week (x 1 000) Labour force Employed labour force Working hours Part-time Less than 20 working hours a week 12 to 19 working hours a week (x 1 000) Labour force Employed labour force Working hours Part-time 20 to 34 working hours a week 20 to 34 working hours a week (x 1 000) Labour force Employed labour force Working hours Part-time 20 to 34 working hours a week 20 to 27 working hours a week (x 1 000) Labour force Employed labour force Working hours Part-time 20 to 34 working hours a week 28 to 34 working hours a week (x 1 000)
Total male and female 15 to 74 years 393 707 473 234 362 178 184
15 to 24 years 247 687 463 223 284 148 136
25 to 44 years 138 20 10 11 76 28 47
25 to 34 years 124 19 10 10 68 25 43
35 to 44 years 14 1 0 1 7 3 4
45 to 54 years 6 0 0 0 2 1 1
45 to 74 years 8 0 0 0 2 1 1
55 to 64 years 2 0 0 0 1 0 0
65 to 74 years 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Male 15 to 74 years 272 339 228 112 173 83 90
15 to 24 years 161 329 222 107 136 69 67
25 to 44 years 104 10 5 5 35 14 21
25 to 34 years 90 10 5 5 32 12 20
35 to 44 years 13 0 0 0 3 2 2
45 to 54 years 5 0 0 0 1 1 1
45 to 74 years 7 0 0 0 2 1 1
55 to 64 years 2 0 0 0 1 0 0
65 to 74 years 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Female 15 to 74 years 120 368 246 123 188 94 94
15 to 24 years 86 357 241 117 148 79 68
25 to 44 years 34 11 5 6 41 15 26
25 to 34 years 33 10 5 5 37 13 24
35 to 44 years 1 1 0 1 4 2 2
45 to 54 years 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
45 to 74 years 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
55 to 64 years 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
65 to 74 years 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


This table contains quarterly and yearly figures on labour participation by position in the household 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 whether they are in education is available.

Data available from: 2013

Status of the figures:
The figures in this table are final.

Changes as of November 13, 2025:
The figures for the 3rd quarter 2025 have been added.

Changes as of November 15, 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 February 2026.

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.
Working hours
The number of hours someone works in a normal or average working week.

In the average working hours overtime and unpaid hours are not taken into account.

Part-time
The number of hours that a person works in a normal or average working week is less than 35 hours.

In the average working hours overtime and unpaid hours are not taken into account.
Less than 20 working hours a week
The number of hours that a person works in a normal or average working week is less than 20 hours.

In the average working hours overtime and unpaid hours are not taken into account.
Less than 20 working hours a week
The number of hours that a person works in a normal or average working week is less than 20 hours.

In the average working hours overtime and unpaid hours are not taken into account.
Less than 12 working hours a week
The number of hours that a person works in a normal or average working week is less than 12 hours.

In the average working hours overtime and unpaid hours are not taken into account.
12 to 19 working hours a week
The number of hours that a person works in a normal or average working week is 12 to 19 hours.

In the average working hours overtime and unpaid hours are not taken into account.

20 to 34 working hours a week
The number of hours that a person works in a normal or average working week is is 20 to 34 hours.

In the average working hours overtime and unpaid hours are not taken into account.

20 to 34 working hours a week
The number of hours that a person works in a normal or average working week is 20 to 34 hours.

In the average working hours overtime and unpaid hours are not taken into account.
20 to 27 working hours a week
The number of hours that a person works in a normal or average working week is 20 to 27 hours.

In the average working hours overtime and unpaid hours are not taken into account.
28 to 34 working hours a week
The number of hours that a person works in a normal or average working week is 28 to 34 hours.

In the average working hours overtime and unpaid hours are not taken into account.
Full-time
The number of hours that a person works in a normal or average working week is 35 hours or more.

In the average working hours overtime and unpaid hours are not taken into account.