Labour force; 1800-2013 (12-hours threshold)

In this table you can find a historical series of figures since 1800 on the composition of the Dutch labour force from 15-64 by sex and a few other personal characteristics. The data on the registered unemployed by ethnic background and level of education are only available from 1996 and onwards. The figures on professional prestige, socio-economic status and social class are only available from 1975 and onwards and only concern the total employed labour force. Until 1987 the definition of the employed labour force deviates somewhat from the current definition. It concerns people who work at least 15 hours a week instead of 12 hours a week.

Data available from 1800 including 2013.

Status of the figures: On 26 February 2015 new revised tables about the labour force have been published. The revision of the labour force statistics consists of two parts. The definitions are adjusted to the international standard definitions and data collection is improved by using web interviewing. The figures in this table haven’t been revised yet and thus differ from the figures in other tables concerning the labour force. For more information about this revision, see the link to the press release in paragraph 3.

Changes as of June 27, 2018: None, this table has been discontinued.

When will new figures be published? This table will no longer be updated. A new historical series of yearly figures on the labour force based on the international definition is made. See the link in paragraph 3.