Labour participation; key figures, 2003-2022

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Labour participation; key figures, 2003-2022
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 2022 1st quarter 13,175 3,407
Total male and female 15 to 74 years 1 Lower education 2022 1st quarter 3,394 1,460
Total male and female 15 to 74 years 2 Intermediate education 2022 1st quarter 4,883 1,141
Total male and female 15 to 74 years 3 Higher education 2022 1st quarter 4,804 766
Total male and female 15 to 74 years Unknown 2022 1st quarter 94 40
Total male and female 15 to 24 years Total 2022 1st quarter 2,137 429
Total male and female 15 to 24 years 1 Lower education 2022 1st quarter 900 232
Total male and female 15 to 24 years 2 Intermediate education 2022 1st quarter 943 157
Total male and female 15 to 24 years 3 Higher education 2022 1st quarter 292 40
Total male and female 15 to 24 years Unknown 2022 1st quarter 1 0
Total male and female 15 to 64 years Total 2022 1st quarter 11,241 1,781
Total male and female 15 to 64 years 1 Lower education 2022 1st quarter 2,599 754
Total male and female 15 to 64 years 2 Intermediate education 2022 1st quarter 4,254 622
Total male and female 15 to 64 years 3 Higher education 2022 1st quarter 4,308 378
Total male and female 15 to 64 years Unknown 2022 1st quarter 79 27
Total male and female 25 to 44 years Total 2022 1st quarter 4,356 451
Total male and female 25 to 44 years 1 Lower education 2022 1st quarter 508 135
Total male and female 25 to 44 years 2 Intermediate education 2022 1st quarter 1,476 162
Total male and female 25 to 44 years 3 Higher education 2022 1st quarter 2,342 148
Total male and female 25 to 44 years Unknown 2022 1st quarter 30 7
Total male and female 25 to 34 years Total 2022 1st quarter 2,259 202
Total male and female 25 to 34 years 1 Lower education 2022 1st quarter 206 53
Total male and female 25 to 34 years 2 Intermediate education 2022 1st quarter 751 75
Total male and female 25 to 34 years 3 Higher education 2022 1st quarter 1,288 71
Total male and female 25 to 34 years Unknown 2022 1st quarter 15 3
Total male and female 35 to 44 years Total 2022 1st quarter 2,097 249
Total male and female 35 to 44 years 1 Lower education 2022 1st quarter 302 81
Total male and female 35 to 44 years 2 Intermediate education 2022 1st quarter 726 87
Total male and female 35 to 44 years 3 Higher education 2022 1st quarter 1,055 77
Total male and female 35 to 44 years Unknown 2022 1st quarter 15 4
Total male and female 45 to 54 years Total 2022 1st quarter 2,345 287
Total male and female 45 to 54 years 1 Lower education 2022 1st quarter 473 126
Total male and female 45 to 54 years 2 Intermediate education 2022 1st quarter 901 96
Total male and female 45 to 54 years 3 Higher education 2022 1st quarter 946 55
Total male and female 45 to 54 years Unknown 2022 1st quarter 26 10
Total male and female 45 to 64 years Total 2022 1st quarter 4,748 901
Total male and female 45 to 64 years 1 Lower education 2022 1st quarter 1,191 388
Total male and female 45 to 64 years 2 Intermediate education 2022 1st quarter 1,834 302
Total male and female 45 to 64 years 3 Higher education 2022 1st quarter 1,675 190
Total male and female 45 to 64 years Unknown 2022 1st quarter 49 20
Total male and female 45 to 74 years Total 2022 1st quarter 6,683 2,528
Total male and female 45 to 74 years 1 Lower education 2022 1st quarter 1,986 1,094
Total male and female 45 to 74 years 2 Intermediate education 2022 1st quarter 2,463 822
Total male and female 45 to 74 years 3 Higher education 2022 1st quarter 2,170 578
Total male and female 45 to 74 years Unknown 2022 1st quarter 63 33
Total male and female 55 to 64 years Total 2022 1st quarter 2,403 614
Total male and female 55 to 64 years 1 Lower education 2022 1st quarter 719 262
Total male and female 55 to 64 years 2 Intermediate education 2022 1st quarter 933 207
Total male and female 55 to 64 years 3 Higher education 2022 1st quarter 728 135
Total male and female 55 to 64 years Unknown 2022 1st quarter 23 11
Total male and female 65 to 74 years Total 2022 1st quarter 1,934 1,626
Total male and female 65 to 74 years 1 Lower education 2022 1st quarter 795 706
Total male and female 65 to 74 years 2 Intermediate education 2022 1st quarter 629 520
Total male and female 65 to 74 years 3 Higher education 2022 1st quarter 496 388
Total male and female 65 to 74 years Unknown 2022 1st quarter 14 13
Total male and female 15 to 19 years Total 2022 1st quarter 1,016 249
Total male and female 15 to 19 years 1 Lower education 2022 1st quarter 753 200
Total male and female 15 to 19 years 2 Intermediate education 2022 1st quarter 254 47
Total male and female 15 to 19 years 3 Higher education 2022 1st quarter 7 2
Total male and female 15 to 19 years Unknown 2022 1st quarter 1 0
Total male and female 20 to 24 years Total 2022 1st quarter 1,121 180
Total male and female 20 to 24 years 1 Lower education 2022 1st quarter 147 32
Total male and female 20 to 24 years 2 Intermediate education 2022 1st quarter 689 110
Total male and female 20 to 24 years 3 Higher education 2022 1st quarter 285 38
Total male and female 20 to 24 years Unknown 2022 1st quarter 0 0
Total male and female 25 to 29 years Total 2022 1st quarter 1,121 95
Total male and female 25 to 29 years 1 Lower education 2022 1st quarter 89 24
Total male and female 25 to 29 years 2 Intermediate education 2022 1st quarter 372 34
Total male and female 25 to 29 years 3 Higher education 2022 1st quarter 652 36
Total male and female 25 to 29 years Unknown 2022 1st quarter 7 1
Total male and female 30 to 34 years Total 2022 1st quarter 1,138 107
Total male and female 30 to 34 years 1 Lower education 2022 1st quarter 116 29
Total male and female 30 to 34 years 2 Intermediate education 2022 1st quarter 378 41
Total male and female 30 to 34 years 3 Higher education 2022 1st quarter 636 35
Total male and female 30 to 34 years Unknown 2022 1st quarter 8 2
Total male and female 35 to 39 years Total 2022 1st quarter 1,062 117
Total male and female 35 to 39 years 1 Lower education 2022 1st quarter 137 38
Total male and female 35 to 39 years 2 Intermediate education 2022 1st quarter 349 43
Total male and female 35 to 39 years 3 Higher education 2022 1st quarter 567 32
Total male and female 35 to 39 years Unknown 2022 1st quarter 9 3
Total male and female 40 to 44 years Total 2022 1st quarter 1,035 132
Total male and female 40 to 44 years 1 Lower education 2022 1st quarter 165 43
Total male and female 40 to 44 years 2 Intermediate education 2022 1st quarter 377 43
Total male and female 40 to 44 years 3 Higher education 2022 1st quarter 488 45
Total male and female 40 to 44 years Unknown 2022 1st quarter 6 1
Total male and female 45 to 49 years Total 2022 1st quarter 1,075 120
Total male and female 45 to 49 years 1 Lower education 2022 1st quarter 194 55
Total male and female 45 to 49 years 2 Intermediate education 2022 1st quarter 392 33
Total male and female 45 to 49 years 3 Higher education 2022 1st quarter 477 27
Total male and female 45 to 49 years Unknown 2022 1st quarter 12 5
Total male and female 50 to 54 years Total 2022 1st quarter 1,271 167
Total male and female 50 to 54 years 1 Lower education 2022 1st quarter 279 71
Total male and female 50 to 54 years 2 Intermediate education 2022 1st quarter 508 62
Total male and female 50 to 54 years 3 Higher education 2022 1st quarter 469 28
Total male and female 50 to 54 years Unknown 2022 1st quarter 14 5
Total male and female 55 to 59 years Total 2022 1st quarter 1,253 223
Total male and female 55 to 59 years 1 Lower education 2022 1st quarter 336 99
Total male and female 55 to 59 years 2 Intermediate education 2022 1st quarter 508 74
Total male and female 55 to 59 years 3 Higher education 2022 1st quarter 396 44
Total male and female 55 to 59 years Unknown 2022 1st quarter 13 5
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


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.

Due to changes in the survey design and the questionnaire of the Labour Force Survey (LFS), a revision of the figures for 2021 was carried out in the first quarter of 2022.
As a result, the numbers of 2021 and later will not be comparable to the years 2003-2020.

Data available from: 2003-2022

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

Changes as of Januariy 16, 2023:
The periods were still indicated in Dutch. That has been converted to English.

Changes as of August 17, 2022:
None, the table has been discontinued.

When will new figures be released?
Not applicable. This table has been replaced, see paragraph 3 for a link to the new table.

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.