Dutch unemployment rises to 4.1% as job market shifts in February 2026
Unemployment in the Netherlands climbed to 4.1% in February 2026, affecting 416,000 people. While more jobs were created, the inflow of newly unemployed outpaced those finding work, signaling potential challenges for job seekers across most regions.
| Key Data Point | Value |
|---|---|
| Unemployed people (February) | 416,000 |
| Monthly unemployment increase | 3,000 (avg. over 3 months) |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% of working population |
| Unemployment benefits (WW) | 205,500 (slight decrease) |
| New WW benefits (February) | 22,200 |
| Terminated WW benefits | 22,400 |
| Regions with highest increase | Central South Holland (+18.0%) |
| Regions with decrease | Groningen (-1.7%), Drenthe (-2.8%) |
| People outside labor force | 3.2 million |
Statistics Netherlands (CBS) monitors labor market trends, providing essential data to policymakers and businesses. The UWV (Employee Insurance Agency) administers unemployment benefits and tracks regional labor market dynamics to support workforce reintegration.
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Unemployment at 4.1 percent in February
In February, there were 416,000 unemployed people. Over the past three months, the number of unemployed has increased by an average of 3,000 per month. This means that 4.1 percent of the working population aged 15 to 75 was unemployed. The number of people in paid employment also rose over the past three months, increasing by an average of 1,000 per month. This is reported by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) based on new figures. At the end of February 2026, UWV recorded 205,000 ongoing unemployment benefits (WW).
In addition to the 416,000 unemployed, there are 3.2 million people who have not recently sought work and/or were not immediately available for it. For this reason, they are not counted as part of the working population. These are mainly people who are retired or unable to work due to illness or disability. The number of people outside the working population (non-working population) decreased by an average of 3,000 per month over the past three months.
UWV: Slight decrease in number of unemployment benefits
At the end of February, UWV recorded 205,500 unemployment benefits (WW). This is a slight decrease compared to the previous month (-0.1 percent). In February, 22,200 new benefits were granted, while 22,400 benefits were terminated. As a result, the total number of unemployment benefits remained above 200,000, just as in January 2026. At the end of February 2026, the number of unemployment benefits was higher in nearly all 35 labor market regions compared to February 2025. Only in the regions of Groningen (-1.7 percent) and Drenthe (-2.8 percent) did the number of unemployment benefits decrease compared to the previous year. In 13 of the 35 regions, the increase was greater than 10 percent. Compared to February 2025, the number of unemployment benefits increased the most in the regions of Central South Holland (+18.0 percent), The Hague region (+16.6 percent), and Gorinchem (+16.2 percent).
Inflow into unemployment greater than outflow
Unemployment can increase or decrease due to four different flows. Two of these flows reduce unemployment. The first is the flow of unemployed people who find a job (146,000). The second is the flow of unemployed people who stop looking for work and leave the labor market, and thus the working population (102,000). In total, 248,000 people were no longer unemployed in February who had been three months earlier. There are also two flows that increase unemployment. These are employed people who lose their jobs (121,000) and people who were not previously seeking work but are now looking for a job (136,000). If they do not immediately find work, they become part of the unemployed working population. As a result, 257,000 people were unemployed in February who had not been three months earlier. Both the inflow into unemployment and the outflow are higher than a year ago.