Labour participation; attachment to the labour market

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Sex Personal characteristics Registered employment UWV Labour force and not in the labour force (x 1.000) Employed labour force Employed labour force (x 1.000) Employed labour force Want to work more hours, available (x 1.000) Employed labour force Doesn’t want more hours or not available (x 1.000) Not employed labour force Not employed labour force (x 1.000) Not employed labour force Unemployed labour force Unemployed labour force (x 1.000) Not employed labour force Not in the labour force Not in the labour force (x 1.000) Not employed labour force Not in the labour force Seeking work, but not available (x 1.000)
Total male and female Total persons Total 13,387 9,798 510 9,288 3,590 372 3,217 105
Registered at an employment office 968 328 32 295 640 117 523 41
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 165 78 10 68 88 52 35 12
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 803 250 22 228 553 65 488 29
Not registered at an employment office 12,420 9,470 477 8,993 2,950 255 2,694 65
Age: 15 to 24 years Total 2,175 1,653 254 1,400 522 157 364 31
Registered at an employment office 53 19 2 17 34 9 25 2
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 7 3 0 3 3 2 1 0
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 46 15 2 14 31 7 24 2
Not registered at an employment office 2,122 1,634 251 1,383 488 148 339 29
Age: 25 to 44 years Total 4,556 3,980 137 3,843 576 125 451 40
Registered at an employment office 408 168 16 152 240 56 184 20
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 72 35 4 31 37 23 14 5
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 336 132 12 120 204 33 171 15
Not registered at an employment office 4,148 3,812 121 3,691 336 69 267 19
Age: 25 to 34 years Total 2,356 2,064 75 1,989 292 75 217 22
Registered at an employment office 196 81 8 72 115 29 86 10
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 33 15 2 14 18 11 6 3
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 162 65 7 59 97 17 80 7
Not registered at an employment office 2,161 1,983 67 1,916 177 46 131 13
Age: 35 to 44 years Total 2,200 1,916 62 1,854 284 50 234 17
Registered at an employment office 212 87 8 79 125 27 98 11
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 39 20 2 18 19 12 7 3
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 174 67 6 62 107 16 91 8
Not registered at an employment office 1,987 1,829 54 1,775 158 23 136 7
Age: 45 to 74 years Total 6,657 4,165 119 4,046 2,492 90 2,402 35
Registered at an employment office 507 141 14 127 366 52 313 19
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 87 39 6 33 48 27 21 6
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 420 102 8 94 318 25 293 13
Not registered at an employment office 6,150 4,024 105 3,918 2,126 38 2,088 17
Age: 45 to 54 years Total 2,248 1,933 60 1,872 316 36 279 15
Registered at an employment office 202 72 7 65 131 20 110 9
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 35 18 3 15 17 10 7 3
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 167 53 4 49 114 11 103 7
Not registered at an employment office 2,046 1,861 53 1,808 185 16 169 5
Age: 55 to 64 years Total 2,453 1,847 47 1,801 606 42 564 13
Registered at an employment office 248 62 6 56 186 28 158 8
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 43 19 3 17 24 16 8 3
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 205 43 4 39 162 12 150 5
Not registered at an employment office 2,205 1,785 41 1,745 420 14 406 5
Age: 65 to 74 years Total 1,955 385 12 373 1,570 12 1,558 7
Registered at an employment office 57 7 1 6 49 4 45 2
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 9 1 0 1 7 2 6 1
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 48 6 1 5 42 2 40 1
Not registered at an employment office 1,899 377 11 366 1,521 8 1,513 6
1 Primary, lower secondary Total 3,440 1,972 161 1,811 1,468 125 1,343 35
Registered at an employment office 385 103 9 95 282 30 252 14
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 36 15 2 13 21 9 12 3
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 349 88 7 81 261 21 240 11
Not registered at an employment office 3,055 1,869 152 1,716 1,186 96 1,091 21
2 Upper secondary Total 4,913 3,688 202 3,487 1,225 128 1,097 36
Registered at an employment office 343 123 13 110 220 41 179 15
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 61 31 4 26 31 18 13 4
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 282 92 9 83 189 23 166 10
Not registered at an employment office 4,570 3,565 188 3,377 1,005 86 919 21
3 Tertiary Total 4,957 4,097 146 3,951 860 118 742 34
Registered at an employment office 225 98 10 88 127 45 82 12
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 67 32 4 28 35 25 10 4
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 158 67 6 61 91 20 72 7
Not registered at an employment office 4,732 3,999 136 3,863 733 73 660 22
Level of educ: unknown Total 77 40 1 39 37 2 35 1
Registered at an employment office 14 3 0 3 11 1 10 0
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 14 3 0 2 11 1 10 0
Not registered at an employment office 63 37 1 36 26 1 25 0
Male Total persons Total 6,694 5,167 205 4,962 1,526 187 1,339 51
Registered at an employment office 462 176 15 161 286 63 223 21
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 84 41 3 38 43 26 17 5
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 378 135 11 123 243 37 206 15
Not registered at an employment office 6,232 4,992 191 4,801 1,240 124 1,116 31
Age: 15 to 24 years Total 1,105 838 127 711 267 81 186 16
Registered at an employment office 26 11 1 10 16 5 10 1
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 4 2 0 1 2 1 1 0
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 23 9 1 8 14 4 10 1
Not registered at an employment office 1,079 828 126 701 251 76 175 14
Age: 25 to 44 years Total 2,294 2,087 44 2,043 207 59 148 17
Registered at an employment office 192 90 8 82 102 30 72 10
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 34 18 1 17 16 11 5 2
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 158 72 7 65 86 19 67 8
Not registered at an employment office 2,102 1,997 36 1,960 105 30 76 7
Age: 25 to 34 years Total 1,193 1,076 29 1,047 117 37 80 10
Registered at an employment office 95 44 4 40 51 15 35 5
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 15 8 0 7 8 5 2 1
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 80 37 4 33 43 10 33 4
Not registered at an employment office 1,098 1,032 25 1,006 66 21 45 5
Age: 35 to 44 years Total 1,102 1,011 15 996 91 22 68 7
Registered at an employment office 97 46 4 42 51 14 37 5
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 19 11 1 10 9 5 3 1
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 78 35 3 32 43 9 34 4
Not registered at an employment office 1,005 965 11 954 39 8 31 2
Age: 45 to 74 years Total 3,294 2,242 34 2,208 1,052 47 1,005 18
Registered at an employment office 243 75 6 69 168 28 140 10
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 46 21 2 19 25 14 11 3
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 197 54 4 50 143 14 129 6
Not registered at an employment office 3,051 2,167 28 2,139 884 19 865 9
Age: 45 to 54 years Total 1,113 994 12 982 119 16 103 6
Registered at an employment office 94 36 3 33 58 10 48 4
Registered at UWV, with WW benefit 18 10 1 9 8 5 3 1
Registered at UWV, no WW benefit 76 26 2 24 50 5 45 3
Not registered at an employment office 1,019 959 10 949 61 6 55 2
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.

Data available from: 2013

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

Changes as of February 14, 2025:
The figures for the fourth quarter and the year 2024 have been added.

Changes as of August 23, 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 May 2025.

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 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.
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.
Want to work more hours, available
This group consists of people who work part-time (less than 35 hours a week) in their first job and want to work more hours within six months, assuming that their earnings also change. They are immediately available for this. The comparable term used by Eurostat is underemployed.

Up to and including 2012 it was assumed that people who work 12 hours or more a week and want to work more hours, cannot start within two weeks. This group was therefore not asked if they could start within two weeks. The questionnaire has now been adjusted so that the respondent will receive this question. The number of people that can start within two weeks is therefore greater than before and the remaining part of the employed labour force that does not want to work more hours or is not available, is therefore (equally) lower.

Doesn’t want more hours or not available
This group consists of people:
- who work full-time (35 hours or more a week) in their first job;
- who work part-time (less than 35 hours a week) in their first job and do not want to work more hours within six months (assuming that their earnings also change);
- who work part-time (less than 35 hours a week) in their first job, want to work more hours within six months, but are not immediately available for this;

Up to and including 2012 it was assumed that people who work 12 hours or more a week and want to work more hours, cannot start within two weeks. This group was therefore not asked if they could start within two weeks. The questionnaire has now been adjusted so that the respondent will receive this question. The number of people that can start within two weeks is therefore greater than before and the remaining part of the employed labour force that does not want to work more hours or is not available, is therefore (equally) lower.
Not employed labour force
People who don't 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. The non-employed population consists of the unemployed labour force and the people not in the labour force. Paid work is regardless of the hours worked.
Not employed labour force
People who don't 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. The non-employed population consists of the unemployed labour force and the people not in the labour force. Paid work is regardless of the hours worked.
Unemployed labour force
People who don’t have paid work, recently looked for work and are 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.

Unemployed labour force
People who don’t have paid work, recently looked for work and are 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.
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.
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.
Seeking work, but not available
Person is not directly available for work, but has recently looked for work.