Number of jobs continues to rise

In the second quarter of 2011, the number of jobs of employees was 51 thousand higher than in the same quarter of 2010, an increase by 0.6 percent. For the third consecutive quarter, employment was higher than twelve months previously. Employment improved in the sectors trade, transport, hotels and restaurants, health care and business services. In the construction sector, manufacturing industry and public administration, the number of jobs declined relative to one year previously.

Employment is obviously subject to seasonal variation. After correction for seasonal effects, the number of jobs in the second quarter was 0.3 percent higher than in the first quarter of 2011.

Altogether (full-time plus part-time jobs), there were over 7.9 million employee jobs in the Netherlands. Converted to full-time equivalents, there were nearly 6 million jobs in the second quarter, an increase of 0.4 percent from one year ago.

In the second quarter of 2011, wages per working year were 1.2 percent higher than in the same quarter one year previously. This modest increase is just above the 1.0 percent rise in collectively negotiated wages. Total wage costs per working year were marginally higher than wages of employees, because employers had to pay more into unemployment and health insurance schemes. Total wage costs were 1.4 percent up on the second quarter of 2010.

Growth rate jobs and economic growth

More figures can be found in dossier Business cycle.