Unemployment remains at 4.0 percent in October

These are the most recent figures on this topic. View the previous figures here.
© ANP
There were 411 thousand unemployed persons in October 2025. Just as in September, 4.0 percent of the labour force aged 15 to 74 years were unemployed. The number of unemployed persons has risen by an average of 8 thousand per month over the past three months. The number of people in paid employment rose, by an average of 5 thousand per month. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports this on the basis of newly released figures. At the end of October, the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV) records included 195 thousand current unemployment (WW) benefits.

In addition to the 411 thousand people who were unemployed, 3.2 million people were not actively seeking work or not immediately available for work in October. Many of these are retirees and people who are unable to work due to illness or occupational disability. These people are not counted as part of the labour force. Averaged over the past three months, the number of people outside the labour force has fallen by an average of 4 thousand per month.

UWV: number of recipients of unemployment benefit increased

At the end of October 2025, the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV) recorded 195.4 thousand current unemployment (WW) benefits, 8.0 thousand more than in September. In October, 30.6 thousand new people were granted unemployment benefit and 22.7 thousand benefits were terminated.

Relative to one year previously, the number of recipients of unemployment benefit rose by 16.4 thousand (+9.1 percent). Unemployment benefits were added in all sectors, with the exception of temporary employment agencies. The number of recipients of unemployment benefit fell by 1.4 percent in this sector. The largest increases were seen in other manufacturing (up by 24.6 percent), the public sector (up by 23.2 percent) and agriculture, forestry and fishing (up by 20.6 percent).

Hardly any changes in unemployment

Unemployment can increase or decrease due to four different changes in people’s circumstances. Two of these can lead to lower unemployment. The first change is when an unemployed person finds a job (144 thousand in October). The second is when an unemployed person stops seeking work and leaves the labour market (92 thousand in October). A total of 237 thousand people who had been unemployed three months earlier found a job in October.



There are also two opposite flows, which can increase unemployment. The first happens when an employed person loses their job (124 thousand in October) and the second when a person who was previously unavailable for work decides to seek employment (135 thousand in October). If people in these groups do not find work immediately, they become part of the unemployed labour force. The total number of people who became unemployed in October was 259 thousand.

As a result, the number of people who became unemployed and the number of people who found a job was virtually the same as in September (at 236 thousand and 260 thousand, respectively).


Every month, CBS publishes figures on the labour force in accordance with guidelines of the International Labour Organization (ILO). The corresponding indicators, i.e. the employed and unemployed labour force, are used around the world to describe cyclical developments on the labour market. Monthly figures are essential in this respect. In addition, UWV publishes its own monthly figures on unemployment benefit. The figures released by UWV do not correspond directly with the labour force indicators.

Sources

Related items