More Netherlands residents switching jobs due to staff shortages

The number of people starting a new job increased significantly in the past year, likely pushed by staff shortages. In the first quarter of 2022, over 1.9 million workers started their job less than 12 months ago. That’s 400,000 more than the same quarter last year, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and Eurostat reported.

The figures include both people who started working for the first time and people who changed jobs. “Newcomers increased during a period in which employment in the Netherlands grew strongly,” the stats office said. Staff shortages may be giving people more opportunities to find their dream job.

While the number of workers with a new job increased, there were fewer people who had their current job for between one and two years. The number of people who have been at their place of work for two or more years remained about the same.

Most EU countries saw an increase in people starting new jobs. In the first quarter of this year, an average of 4.1 percent of EU workers started at their job less than three months ago, compared to 3.6 percent a year earlier. The Netherlands had the second highest percentage of workers new to their workplace at 6.1 percent. Finland was first with 6.6 percent.