Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Netherlands
Netherlands: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) was 85.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Netherlands, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Netherlands is 85.6%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 4.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Netherlands peaked at 85.6% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 78.0%, in 1990.
Netherlands ranks 7th of 187 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Netherlands, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 78.0% | — |
| 1991 | 78.4% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 78.7% | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 78.8% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 78.9% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 79.0% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 79.3% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 79.5% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 79.8% | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 80.2% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 80.5% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 80.7% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 80.6% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 80.5% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 80.3% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 80.3% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 80.4% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 80.6% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 80.8% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 80.7% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 80.5% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 80.7% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 81.6% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 81.9% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 81.6% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 82.2% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 82.2% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 82.2% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 82.8% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 83.4% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 83.4% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 83.7% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 84.7% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 85.5% | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 85.5% | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 85.6% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 79.1% | 78.0% | 80.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 80.5% | 80.3% | 80.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 81.9% | 80.5% | 83.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 84.7% | 83.4% | 85.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Netherlands
- 4 Madagascar 86.9% compare
- 5 Cambodia 86.1% compare
- 6 Solomon Islands 85.8% compare
- 8 Tanzania, United Republic of 85.0% compare
- 9 Switzerland 84.0% compare
- 10 Sweden 83.9% 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)
- 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)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Netherlands?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Netherlands was 85.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) recorded in Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 85.6% in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 78.0% in 1990.
- How does Netherlands rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages)?
- Netherlands ranks 7th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) rising or falling in Netherlands?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Netherlands data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15-64 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.