Unemployment rate higher among men and young people

In the first quarter of 2009, the unemployment rate in the Netherlands was 4.4 percent, the same as one year previously, but unemployment rates for men and young people were higher than in the first quarter of 2008. 

Men more often unemployed

In the first quarter of this year, male unemployment was 4.0 percent, i.e. 0.5 percentage points higher than in the first quarter of 2008. For the first time in many years, male unemployment has risen relative to one year previously.

Female unemployment was still lower than one year ago. In the first quarter of this year, female unemployment was 4.9 percent, more than 0.5 percentage points down on the same period in 2008.

Unemployment by gender

More young people unemployed

Youth unemployment has risen relative to one year ago. In the first quarter of this year, 10.3 percent of 15 to 25-year-olds were unemployed. This is more than 1 percentage points more than in the same quarter last year. The rate was also higher among 25 to 35-year-olds. Unemployment in the age category 15-35 already began to rise in the last quarter of 2008. Early 2009, unemployment among over-35s was still below the level of one year previously.

Unemployment by age

Rate slightly lower among people with non-western background

Unemployment in the population with a non-western background was 10.2 percent in the first quarter of 2009, i.e. nearly 0.3 percentage points lower than in the first quarter of 2008. Hence, unemployment in the non-western population in the Netherlands is still marginally lower than one year ago, although the decrease is much smaller than in the preceding years. The unemployment rate in the native Dutch population stood at 3.6 percent in the first quarter of 2009, a bit higher than one year ago.

Unemployment by ethnic background

Lian Kösters