Dutch Jobless Rate Highest in 4 Years

The Netherlands’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged up to 4.1% in February 2026 from 4.0% in January, marking the highest reading since September 2021. The number of unemployed people increased by 1 thousand to 416 thousand, while employment rose by 6 thousand to 9.849 million. The labor force also expanded slightly to 10.265 million from 10.258 million in the previous month. Meanwhile, the gross labor force participation rate held steady at 76.3%, with the net participation rate unchanged at 73.2%. The number of ongoing unemployment benefits stood at around 205.5 thousand at the end of February, slightly lower than in the previous month, as 22.2 thousand new claims were offset by 22.4 thousand terminations. Outside the labor force, around 3.2 million people were not actively seeking or available for work. In February 2025, the jobless rate stood at 3.8%.

The Netherland’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 4% in January 2026, unchanged from the previous four months and still marked the highest reading since September 2021. The number of unemployed people rose by 5 thousand from the previous month to 415 thousand, while an additional 3.2 million people were outside the labor force as they had not recently sought work and/or were not immediately available. This group mainly consists of retirees and individuals unable to work due to illness or disability. During the month, 38.7 thousand new unemployment benefits were granted, bringing the total to 205.7 thousand, while 24.4 thousand were terminated. Meanwhile, employment increased by 0.1 thousand to 9.843 million, and the labor force participation rate edged up to a three-month high of 76.3%. Compared with a year earlier, the jobless rate was 0.2 percentage points higher than the 3.8% posted in January 2025.

The Netherlands’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained steady at 4% in December 2025, unchanged from the previous three months. Still, this marked the highest reading since September 2021, as the number of unemployed individuals increased by 2 thousand from the previous month to 410 thousand. Unemployment among 15- to 25-year-olds rose mainly in the second half of the year, with the rate climbing to 9.1% for young women, up from 8.7% in June 2025. The jobless rate also increased notably among men aged 25 to 45 and those aged 45 to 75. Meanwhile, employment declined by 4 thousand to 9.842 million, and the labor force participation stood at 76.2%. Compared with a year earlier, the jobless rate was 0.3 percentage points higher than the 3.7% posted in December 2024.