Dutch Jobless Rate Steady at 4.0%

The Netherland’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 4.0% in September 2026, unchanged from the previous two months and remaining at its highest level since March. The number of unemployed people remained steady at 408 thousand, with 3.2 million people outside the labor force, which mainly consists of retirees and individuals unable to work due to illness or disability. At the end of September, the number of unemployment benefits stood at 197.1 thousand, up 1.2% from the previous month, as 24.6 thousand new claims were added, while 22.2 thousand were terminated. Meanwhile, employment increased by 4 thousand to 9.831 million, while the labor force also rose by 4 thousand to 10.239 million. The gross labor force participation rate stood at 76.1%, while the net participation rate held at 73.1%. Over the past three months, unemployment increased by an average of 5 thousand per month, while employment remained unchanged.

The Netherlands’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held at 4.0% in August 2026, unchanged from July and remaining at its highest level in four months. The number of unemployed people increased by 4 thousand from a month ago to 408 thousand, while the number of employed people rose by 6 thousand to 9.827 million. Over the past three months, unemployment increased by an average of 3 thousand per month, while employment decreased by an average of 1 thousand per month. Meanwhile, 3.2 million people were outside the labor force, mainly consisting of retirees and individuals unable to work due to illness or disability. The gross labor force participation rate edged up to 76.1% from 76.0%, while the net participation rate rose to 73.1% from 73.0%. At the end of August, the number of ongoing unemployment benefits stood at 195 thousand.

The Netherlands’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 4.0% in July 2026 from 3.8% in June, marking the highest level in four months. The number of unemployed people increased by 11 thousand from a month ago to 404 thousand, while 3.2 million people were outside the labor force, mainly consisting of retirees and individuals unable to work due to illness or disability. Unemployment increased primarily among men, rising from 3.8% to 4.0%, while the rate among women fell from 4.0% to 3.9%. Over the past three months, unemployment increased by an average of 2 thousand per month as the inflow into unemployment exceeded the outflow. At the end of July, the number of ongoing unemployment benefits stood at 200 thousand. Meanwhile, employment decreased by 10 thousand to 9.821 million, while the labor force remained unchanged at 10.225 million. The gross labor force participation rate held at 76.0%, while the net participation rate edged down to 73.0% from 73.1%.