Female labor force participation rate in Netherlands
Netherlands: Female labor force participation rate was 62.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate in Netherlands, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female labor force participation rate in Netherlands is 62.7%, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and up 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate in Netherlands peaked at 63.1% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 55.2%, in 1990.
That places Netherlands 31st out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rate in Netherlands, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 55.2% | — |
| 1991 | 55.6% | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 56.1% | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 56.3% | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 56.5% | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 56.4% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 56.8% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 57.2% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 57.7% | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 58.3% | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 59.0% | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 59.5% | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 59.8% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 59.9% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 59.8% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 59.5% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 59.8% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 60.0% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 60.2% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 60.1% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 60.3% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 60.5% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 61.1% | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 61.0% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 60.3% | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 60.8% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 60.8% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 60.9% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 61.1% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 61.7% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 61.8% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 61.9% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 62.6% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 63.1% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 62.9% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 62.7% | -0.3% |
Netherlands compared with similar countries
- Netherlands's 62.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 55.1%, 1.1× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Netherlands's 62.7% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 54.6%, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 56.6% | 55.2% | 58.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 59.8% | 59.0% | 60.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 60.8% | 60.3% | 61.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 62.5% | 61.8% | 63.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Netherlands
More work & labour data for Netherlands
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 5,256 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 66.71 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 10,535 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 4.03 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 0.834 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 130,584 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 94,797 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 64.03 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.4 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.1112 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rate in Netherlands?
- Female labor force participation rate in Netherlands was 62.7% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rate recorded in Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 63.1% in 2023.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 55.2% in 1990.
- How does Netherlands rank for female labor force participation rate?
- Netherlands ranks 31st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rate rising or falling in Netherlands?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Netherlands data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the female working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).