Unemployment in the Netherlands Hits Highest Level in Four Years
According to new data from Statistics Netherlands (CBS), unemployment in the Netherlands has climbed to 4 percent, marking the highest rate in four years. As of September 2025, around 409,000 people in the Dutch workforce are without jobs, with unemployment increasing by an average of 8,000 people per month over the past quarter.
CBS defines unemployed individuals as those without paid work who are actively seeking employment and available to start immediately. Alongside this group, there were 3.2 million people not participating in the labour force, including retirees, students, and individuals unable to work due to illness or disability — a number that has fallen slightly in recent months.
While the number of unemployment benefit claimants has remained stable at 187,400, it represents an 8.8 percent rise compared to the same period last year. The public sector and industrial sector have seen the sharpest increases in benefit recipients, up 24.2 percent and 21.8 percent, respectively.
Youth Unemployment Remains Highest
Young people aged 15 to 25 continue to face the highest unemployment levels, with 8.8 percent currently jobless — a slight decrease from 9 percent a year ago. However, unemployment among older age groups is on the rise: 3.4 percent of 25- to 45-year-olds are unemployed (up from 3.1 percent last year), and 2.6 percent of those aged 45 to 75 are without work (up from 2.1 percent).
CBS attributes the rise in unemployment to two main factors: job losses and an increasing number of people entering the labour market, such as recent graduates. Economist Hein van Mulligen notes that while more people are actively seeking jobs, “those who are unemployed still have a good chance of finding new work in the current labour market.”
