Dutch Wages Rise by 4%: Construction and Business Services Lead Growth
There is some positive news for employees in the Netherlands. Wages agreed through collective labour agreements continued to increase in the third quarter of 2026.
According to the latest figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS), negotiated wages, including special remuneration, were 4% higher than a year earlier. After taking inflation into account, the increase was around 0.8% in real terms.
This means wages are still growing faster than prices on average, although the difference is much smaller than the headline 4% figure might suggest.
Which Sectors Saw the Biggest Pay Increases?
The strongest wage growth was recorded in construction and specialised business services, where negotiated wages increased by 5% compared with the same quarter last year.
Financial services were close behind with growth of 4.9%, followed by education at 4.4% and manufacturing at 4.2%.
There was relatively little difference between the broader private and public sectors. Private-sector negotiated wages increased by 4.1%, while subsidised institutions recorded 4% and the public sector 3.9%.
Wage Growth Is Slowing Down
Although a 4% increase is significant, wage growth in the Netherlands is gradually slowing.
In the third quarter of 2025, negotiated wages had increased by 4.6% compared with the previous year. Wage growth reached an even higher 6.8% in the third quarter of 2024.
This doesn't mean salaries are falling. They are still increasing, but generally at a slower pace than during the period of particularly strong wage growth following the sharp rise in inflation.
What Does This Mean for Workers?
If you work under a CAO (collective labour agreement), changes negotiated between employers and employee organisations can directly affect your salary and other employment conditions.
When applying for a new job, it is therefore worth checking whether a CAO applies to the position. Don't compare jobs based only on the salary shown in the vacancy. Holiday allowance, shift allowances, working hours, pension arrangements and other benefits can also make a considerable difference.
For people currently looking for work, construction and specialised business services are particularly interesting sectors to watch, at least in terms of recent negotiated wage growth.
Source: Statistics Netherlands (CBS), October 2026.
