Unemployed persons by type of employment sought in Netherlands
Netherlands: Unemployed persons by type of employment sought was 356.6 Thousand persons in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
356.6 Thousand persons
Change on year
up 13.5%
World rank
13th
of 44 countries
All-time high
665.6 Thousand persons
in 1983
All-time low
174.6 Thousand persons
in 2001
Years of data
36
1983–2020
Unemployed persons by type of employment sought in Netherlands, 1983–2020
Source: Eurostat. Measured in Thousand persons.
Analysis
Netherlands recorded 356.6 Thousand persons for unemployed persons by type of employment sought in 2020.
The figure is up 13.5% on the previous year and down 18.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployed persons by type of employment sought in Netherlands peaked at 665.6 Thousand persons in 1983 and was at its lowest, 174.6 Thousand persons, in 2001.
That places Netherlands 13th out of 44 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Unemployed persons by type of employment sought in Netherlands, year by year
| Year | Thousand persons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 665.6 Thousand persons | — |
| 1985 | 599.8 Thousand persons | -9.9% |
| 1987 | 642.1 Thousand persons | +7.1% |
| 1988 | 610.3 Thousand persons | -5.0% |
| 1989 | 574.1 Thousand persons | -5.9% |
| 1990 | 520.5 Thousand persons | -9.3% |
| 1991 | 503.4 Thousand persons | -3.3% |
| 1992 | 389 Thousand persons | -22.7% |
| 1993 | 445.3 Thousand persons | +14.5% |
| 1994 | 517.2 Thousand persons | +16.1% |
| 1995 | 522.8 Thousand persons | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 475.6 Thousand persons | -9.0% |
| 1997 | 419.1 Thousand persons | -11.9% |
| 1998 | 340.2 Thousand persons | -18.8% |
| 1999 | 285.8 Thousand persons | -16.0% |
| 2000 | 220.2 Thousand persons | -23.0% |
| 2001 | 174.6 Thousand persons | -20.7% |
| 2002 | 214.3 Thousand persons | +22.7% |
| 2003 | 302.9 Thousand persons | +41.3% |
| 2004 | 394.8 Thousand persons | +30.3% |
| 2005 | 488.6 Thousand persons | +23.8% |
| 2006 | 419 Thousand persons | -14.2% |
| 2007 | 354.7 Thousand persons | -15.3% |
| 2008 | 317.8 Thousand persons | -10.4% |
| 2009 | 381 Thousand persons | +19.9% |
| 2010 | 435.3 Thousand persons | +14.3% |
| 2011 | 434.3 Thousand persons | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 515.8 Thousand persons | +18.8% |
| 2013 | 647 Thousand persons | +25.4% |
| 2014 | 659.7 Thousand persons | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 613.8 Thousand persons | -7.0% |
| 2016 | 538.5 Thousand persons | -12.3% |
| 2017 | 437.5 Thousand persons | -18.8% |
| 2018 | 350.4 Thousand persons | -19.9% |
| 2019 | 314.2 Thousand persons | -10.3% |
| 2020 | 356.6 Thousand persons | +13.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 618.38 Thousand persons | 574.1 Thousand persons | 665.6 Thousand persons | 5 |
| 1990s | 441.89 Thousand persons | 285.8 Thousand persons | 522.8 Thousand persons | 10 |
| 2000s | 326.79 Thousand persons | 174.6 Thousand persons | 488.6 Thousand persons | 10 |
| 2010s | 494.65 Thousand persons | 314.2 Thousand persons | 659.7 Thousand persons | 10 |
| 2020s | 356.6 Thousand persons | 356.6 Thousand persons | 356.6 Thousand persons | 1 |
Countries ranked near Netherlands
More work & labour data for Netherlands
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 32 - Employment by 655.76 Persons (2022)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 32 - Employment by 433.18 Persons (2022)
- Employed persons by professional status and NUTS 2 region 9,833 Thousand persons (2025)
- Labour force participation rates by NUTS 2 region 76.2% (2025)
- Average actual weekly hours worked in the main job of persons who 30.4 Hour (2025)
- Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level 85.6% (2025)
- Labour force by NUTS 2 region 10,229 Thousand persons (2025)
- Employed persons by NUTS 2 region 9,833 Thousand persons (2025)
- Employment rates by NUTS 2 region 73.2% (2025)
- Labour force by educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region 10,229 Thousand persons (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployed persons by type of employment sought in Netherlands?
- Unemployed persons by type of employment sought in Netherlands was 356.6 Thousand persons in 2020, according to Eurostat.
- What is the highest unemployed persons by type of employment sought recorded in Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 665.6 Thousand persons in 1983.
- What is the lowest unemployed persons by type of employment sought recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 174.6 Thousand persons in 2001.
- How does Netherlands rank for unemployed persons by type of employment sought?
- Netherlands ranks 13th out of 44 countries with data for 2020.
- Is unemployed persons by type of employment sought rising or falling in Netherlands?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Netherlands data come from?
- The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Unemployed persons by type of employment sought. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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