Job vacancies drop while unemployment increases in Netherlands at end of 2025

The labor market became slightly less tight at the end of 2025. Job vacancies dropped by 7,000 in the fourth quarter, while unemployment grew by 11,000, leaving 93 vacancies for every 100 job seekers. Despite this, the total number of positions continued to rise modestly, data from Statistics Netherlands show.

By the end of last year, roughly 380,000 vacancies were still available, down once more from the previous quarter. The total number of open jobs has been falling for nearly three years.

Vacancies fell most sharply in the trade sector, with business services and the industrial sector also seeing declines. In contrast, healthcare experienced a modest rise and remains the sector with the most job openings.

Jobs continued to increase in the fourth quarter, bringing the total to almost 11.7 million. For all of 2025, the average number of jobs was noticeably higher than in the previous year. Growth was strongest in healthcare, with additional gains in temporary employment agencies, the culture and recreation sector, public administration, and construction.

Over 400,000 people were unemployed in the fourth quarter, pushing the unemployment rate back to its pre-pandemic level. The increase is largely concentrated among young people, whereas the number of unemployed over-45s has grown more modestly.