Unemployment rate in Netherlands
Netherlands: Unemployment rate was 3.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate in Netherlands, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Netherlands recorded 3.9% for unemployment rate in 2025.
The figure is up 4.7% on the previous year and down 43.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Netherlands peaked at 7.4% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 2.1%, in 2001.
That places Netherlands 120th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.9% | 3.6% | 7.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.9% | 2.1% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.5% | 3.4% | 7.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.8% | 3.5% | 4.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Netherlands
More work & labour data for Netherlands
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 67.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 71.9% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 87.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 62.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 85.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 89.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 82.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Netherlands?
- Unemployment rate in Netherlands was 3.9% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 7.4% in 2014.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.1% in 2001.
- How does Netherlands rank for unemployment rate?
- Netherlands ranks 120th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Netherlands?
- Over the last ten years it is down 43.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.