Employed labor force in the Netherlands 2003-2020
Employed population in the Benelux
The Netherlands’ employed population was significantly higher than that of Belgium and Luxembourg combined. The employed population in the entire Benelux amounted to roughly 12.9 million, of which the majority (7.9 million) were employed in the Netherlands. By comparison, Belgium’s employed population was roughly 4.6 million, and Luxembourg employed approximately 275,000 people.
Lowest unemployment rate in the Benelux
In 2018, unemployment in the Netherlands was just under four percent. According to a recent forecast, unemployment is expected to increase in the next few years, reaching 4.1 percent in 2021. Of the three Benelux countries, the Netherlands had the lowest unemployment rate. Unemployment in Luxembourg was 5.5 percent in 2018, and in neighboring country Belgium it stood at nearly six percent that year. It is forecast that the unemployment rate in Belgium will remain stable in the nearby future. A similar trend is expected for Luxembourg’s unemployment rate, which is forecast to reach 5.3 percent in 2021.