The Netherlands’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 4.0% in July 2026 from 3.8% in June, reaching its highest level in four months. The number of unemployed increased by 11 thousand compared with the previous month, to 404 thousand individuals. At the same time, 3.2 million people were outside the labor force, consisting mainly of retirees and individuals unable to work due to illness or disability.
The rise in unemployment was driven largely by men, for whom the rate climbed from 3.8% to 4.0%, while the unemployment rate among women eased slightly, from 4.0% to 3.9%. Over the past three months, unemployment has grown by an average of 2 thousand people per month, as the inflow into unemployment has exceeded the outflow.
At the end of July, the number of ongoing unemployment benefit claims stood at 200 thousand. Meanwhile, total employment declined by 10 thousand to 9.821 million, while the labor force as a whole remained unchanged at 10.225 million. The gross labor force participation rate was stable at 76.0%, whereas the net participation rate edged down to 73.0% from 73.1%.
