Unemployment climbs to 4% in June, breaking downward trend

Unemployment in the Netherlands climbed to 4% in July, marking a break from the downward trend, according to CBS figures. The number of jobless individuals surged by an average of 2,000 each month during the second quarter, reaching a total of 404,000 people. Simultaneously, the count of those claiming unemployment benefits rose by 3,000 to 200,000.

Additionally, 3.2 million people aged between 15 and 75 – comprising roughly a quarter of the potential workforce – remained unemployed but not actively seeking work, largely due to retirement or exclusion caused by illness or disability.

The upward trend was more pronounced among men, particularly those under the age of 45, with an unemployment rate of 4% compared to 3.8% in June. Conversely, the proportion for women decreased from 4% to 3.9% during the same period. The most significant increases in unemployment were observed in eastern regions such as Twente, the Achterhoek, and Gorinchem, while a decline was noted in eight areas including southern Limburg, Flevoland, and Zuid-Holland Centraal.

At its peak in February, the total number of unemployed individuals reached 416,000, the highest level in nearly three years. Prior to that, in February of the previous year, 370,000 people were out of work, and 164,000 were receiving unemployment benefits. DutchNews.com operates without charge thanks to the generous support of its readers.

Your donations enable us to report on issues you deem important and provide you with a daily summary of the most significant Dutch news. We express our gratitude to every donor who contributes regularly to DutchNews.nl, as producing our daily news service, original features, and daily newsletters requires financial resources that we cannot attain without your assistance.

If you have yet to make a donation or have done so in the past, you can contribute via the provided links. Please support us in making DutchNews.nl a better read by participating in a brief survey.