Continuous job growth accelerates

The number of jobs of employees was 149 thousand higher in the fourth quarter of 2006 than in the same period one year previously. The increase was 2.0 percent. This signifies an acceleration in the recovery of employment.

The development of employment is affected by seasonal developments. After adjustment for these effects, the number of jobs was 0.7 percent up on the third quarter of 2006. This is the highest growth rate since the second quarter of 2005, when a period of more than two years of job losses ended.

The number of jobs in the Netherlands amounted to over 7.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2006. This includes part-time as well as full-time jobs. In terms of full-time equivalents (fte), the number was just over 5.8 million.

Growth rate jobs and economic growth