Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Netherlands
Netherlands: Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) was 73.0% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
73.0%
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
75th
of 196 countries
All-time high
82.6%
in 1960
All-time low
67.2%
in 1985
Years of data
48
1960–2025
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Netherlands, 1960–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Netherlands stood at 73.0%.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 4.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Netherlands peaked at 82.6% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 67.2%, in 1985.
Netherlands ranks 75th of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Netherlands, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 82.6% | — |
| 1977 | 71.2% | -13.8% |
| 1979 | 69.7% | -2.1% |
| 1980 | 68.9% | -1.0% |
| 1981 | 68.7% | -0.4% |
| 1982 | 68.8% | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 68.6% | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 67.2% | -2.0% |
| 1986 | 67.4% | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 71.0% | +5.4% |
| 1988 | 70.1% | -1.3% |
| 1989 | 70.2% | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 70.8% | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 71.0% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 70.3% | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 70.1% | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 70.4% | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 70.4% | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 70.4% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 71.5% | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 72.2% | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 72.2% | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 73.2% | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 73.5% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 74.1% | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 73.2% | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 73.1% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 71.5% | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 71.2% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 71.9% | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 72.4% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 72.2% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 71.1% | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 70.5% | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 70.9% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 70.8% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 70.4% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 70.1% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 69.6% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 69.4% | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 69.6% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 69.9% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 69.3% | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 71.2% | +2.8% |
| 2022 | 72.3% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 73.1% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 73.1% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 73.0% | -0.1% |
Netherlands compared with similar countries
- Netherlands's 73.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is 69.5%, 1.0× the median. (79 countries reporting)
- Netherlands's 73.0% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 68.2%, 1.1× the median. (54 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 82.6% | 82.6% | 82.6% | 1 |
| 1970s | 70.4% | 69.7% | 71.2% | 2 |
| 1980s | 69.0% | 67.2% | 71.0% | 9 |
| 1990s | 70.9% | 70.1% | 72.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 72.6% | 71.2% | 74.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 70.2% | 69.4% | 71.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 72.0% | 69.3% | 73.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Netherlands
- 72 Bhutan 73.2% compare
- 73 Uzbekistan 73.1% compare
- 74 Saint Kitts and Nevis 73.0% compare
- 76 Vanuatu 72.9% compare
- 77 Korea 72.7% compare
- 78 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 72.7% compare
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 labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Netherlands?
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) in Netherlands was 73.0% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 82.6% in 1960.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 67.2% in 1985.
- How does Netherlands rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+)?
- Netherlands ranks 75th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) rising or falling in Netherlands?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Netherlands data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.