Unemployment rises further

  • 4.6 percent of labour force unemployed
  • More men as well as women out of work
  • Unemployment among men over 45 still lower than a year ago

According to figures from Statistics Netherlands, an average 358 thousand people were unemployed in the Netherlands in the period March-May 2009. This is the equivalent of 4.6 percent of the Dutch labour force. Twelve months ago, 4.1 percent of the labour force were unemployed.

Seasonally adjusted unemployment was 348 thousand people in the period March-May 2009, 8 thousand up on the previous three-month period. After the summer of 2008 unemployment began to rise again after a fall lasting a number of years. Initially the rise was by a few thousand a month, in the last few months it has started to speed up considerably.

The number of unemployed is 45 thousand higher than in the same period last year. Unemployment rose for both men and women. For women the rise was for all age groups. The increase for men was larger, but was completely concentrated among men aged under 45. For men aged 45 and older unemployment was still lower than twelve months previously.