Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Business
Statistics Netherlands
unemployment
unemployment benefits
UWV
economic crisis
Thursday, January 19, 2017 - 09:53
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Unemployment drop the best in a decade: Stats office

2016 saw the biggest drop in unemployment in the Netherlands in 10 years, according to figures from Statistics Netherlands. The unemployment rate dropped from 6.6 percent of the workforce in December 2015 to 5.4 percent in December 2016. The last time there was such a big decline in unemployment was in 2006, the statistics office announced on Thursday.

Last month 482 thousand people in the Netherlands were registered as unemployed and seeking work. That is 17 thousand fewer than in November 2016 and amounts to 5.4 percent of the workforce. 

All groups of the workforce - men, women, young people, elderly people - saw a decrease in unemployment. There were fewer unemployed people as well as more workers. The age group 45 years and older were particularly fortunate in finding work last year, some 110 thousand of them found jobs. The unemployment rate among young people also dropped to its lowest level in five years. 

Despite this drop, the unemployment rate is still well above pre-crisis levels. At the end of 2008 only 3.6 percent of the Dutch workforce were unemployed. 

The number of unemployment benefits also decreased significantly, according to benefits agency UWV. At the end of 2016 the agency paid almost 34 thousand fewer unemployment benefits than a year earlier. The strongest decrease came from the construction industry, followed by the temporary employment sector and metal companies. Unemployment benefits increased in the retail sector among chain stores and department stores. That is due to a series of major bankruptcies. 

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • PM Rutte says he "never deliberately" withheld info by deleting text messages
  • Dutch companies pledge to not avoid taxes
  • Ethnically diverse, low-educated people experience least prosperity in NL
  • Two hurt, three arrested in Amsterdam shooting
  • Google, Twitter not liable for fake cryptocurrency ads featuring Dutch celebs: court
  • Legality concerns over €15.5 billion in gov't spending last year; Third year of shortcomings

Top stories

  • Dutch PM has been deleting text messages daily for years: report
  • F-16s intercept cargo plane in Dutch airspace after bomb threat
  • Less "classic crime" but more emergencies last year
  • Netherlands offers military protection to Finland, Sweden ahead of NATO decision
  • 40% want unhealthy people to pay more for health insurance
  • Dutch labor market super tight: 133 vacancies per 100 unemployed

© 2012-2022, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content