Unemployment unchanged

According to the latest figures from Statistics Netherlands, an average 503 thousand people were unemployed in the Netherlands in the period March-May 2005. After adjustment for seasonal effects the number came to 498 thousand, the same as in the period February-April 2005.

In the last three months 6.7 percent of the labour force were unemployed. Twelve months previously this was 6.6 percent.

Slower growth

As seasonal effects may be strong for the rate of unemployment, Statistics Netherlands uses seasonally adjusted figures to present a reliable picture of short-term developments. Seasonal effects always push up unemployment in March-May. After correction for these effects, unemployment came to 498 thousand in this period, and so is unchanged from February-April. In the last three month period the growth rate of unemployment fell to one thousand a month. At the end of 2004 it was still as high as 4 thousand a month.

Differences between ages and sexes

In the period March-May 2005, 503 thousand people were unemployed. The developments in unemployment differed between the various age groups and between the sexes. The number of unemployed young people fell by 6 thousand in the twelve months, while unemployment among the over-45s rose by 12 thousand. Unemployment in the age category 25-44 years remained the same in this period. For the sexes too, the year-on-year development differs. For men it fell by 6 thousand while the number of unemployed women rose by 12 thousand.

Unemployment among men was 5.8 percent in March-May 2005, twelve months previously it was 5.9 percent. Among women unemployment rose from 7.6 to 7.9 percent.

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