Unemployment continues to rise

Adjusted for seasonal variation, 571 thousand people in the Netherlands were unemployed in December, an increase by 19 thousand relative to November. Unemployment has risen almost continuously for eighteen months now. In the last months of 2012, unemployment rose most notably among 45 to 64-year-olds.

Seasonally adjusted unemployment

Seasonally adjusted unemployment

In December last year, 7.2 percent of the Dutch labour force were unemployed, as against 5.0 percent in June 2011. The unemployment rate among women is usually somewhat higher than the male unemployment rate. In December, 7.4 percent of the female labour force were unemployed versus 7.0 percent of the male labour force.

Unemployment rate, seasonally adjusted

Unemployment rate, seasonally adjusted

More figures can be found in dossier Business cycle.

For more information on economic indicators, see the Economic Monitor.