Top news

Young workers face bleak future as Dutch unemployment rises

After a slight fall in February, unemployment is creeping back towards six per cent, with the youngest and oldest age groups having the hardest time finding work.

Nearly one in eight workers under the age of 25 were without a job in March, an increase from 9.2 per cent to 11.8 per cent in the last 12 months, according to figures published by Statistics Netherlands (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek/CBS).

Overall 465,000 people are unemployed, representing 5.9 per cent of the Dutch population. The figure has increased by 70,000 over the last 12 months, despite falling slightly between March and June last year.

The number of people receiving temporary unemployment benefit (WW-uitkering) fell by 3,000 between Feburary and March, but the total number of 296,000 is 25,000 higher than a year ago.

The number of benefit claimants rose fastest during the year among people aged under 35 and over 55.

The CBS published a report last month warning that unemployment was likely to continue rising over the next few years, reaching a peak of half a million.

The unemployment figures are based on a monthly survey of 30,000 people of working age across the Netherlands.

Source: NRC: Werkloosheid stijgt weer – relatief veel jongeren zonder baan

Photo by fdecomite

See also: Statistics Netherlands website (in English)