Unemployment continues to fall

Dutch unemployment rate continues to fall. The seasonally adjusted unemployment figure for the period April-June 2006 was almost 2 percent lower than the figure over the period March-May. In the period April-June, an average 407 thousand people were unemployed, corresponding to 5.5 percent of the labour force.

Unemployment fell rapidly over the last six months and reached the lowest level since the summer of 2003. In the first three quarters of 2005, it still fluctuated around 490 thousand, the highest number in recent years.

Youth unemployment continues to fall. In the second quarter, 32 thousand fewer people in the 15-24 age bracket were unemployed. The unemployment rate in this age group declined from 13.8 to 10.3 percent of the labour force. Unemployment decreased more sharply among young males than among young females. Unemployment rates decreased across all age groups, though less substantial than in the 15-24 age group.

Unemployment, seasonally adjusted