Migrant unemployment rises to 6.9% in the Netherlands
Unemployment among people born abroad is rising faster than the national average, new figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS) show, even though the overall rate has stood at 4.0% since July.
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Illustrative photo: Udo Geisler / CC BY 2.0Unemployment among migrants, people not born in the Netherlands, rose from 6.4% in 2025 to 6.9%, new CBS figures show. The national rate rose by 0.1 percentage point, from 3.9% last year to 4% in the first nine months of 2026. Slightly more than 400,000 people in the Netherlands are unemployed.
In 2024 the migrant rate was 5.8%, CBS says. Among the second generation, people born in the Netherlands with at least one parent born abroad, unemployment went from 5.9% in 2025 to 6% in September 2026. Between 2024 and 2025 it had risen by 0.6 percentage points. Among people without a migration background it rose from 2.9% to 3%.
Migrant unemployment is rising again after its 2023 low
% · 2013–2026
Migrant unemployment is rising again after its 2023 low (%). From 13.7 in 2013 to 6.9 in 2026; highest 13.7 in 2013, lowest 5.7 in 2023. Source: CBS.
View data
| Period | % |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 13.7 |
| 2014 | 13.3 |
| 2015 | 12.6 |
| 2016 | 11.1 |
| 2017 | 9.5 |
| 2018 | 7.6 |
| 2019 | 7 |
| 2020 | 7.4 |
| 2021 | 7.9 |
| 2022 | 5.8 |
| 2023 | 5.7 |
| 2024 | 5.8 |
| 2025 | 6.4 |
| 2026 | 6.9 |
The CBS research shows unemployment is highest among migrants without a startkwalificatie, meaning at least a havo, vwo or mbo-2 diploma.
Overall unemployment has stayed between 3.7% and 4.1% since October 2024
% of labour force · Oct 2024–Sep 2026
Overall unemployment has stayed between 3.7% and 4.1% since October 2024 (% of labour force). From 3.7 in Oct 2024 to 4 in Sep 2026; highest 4.1 in Feb 2026, lowest 3.7 in Oct 2024. Source: CBS.
View data
| Item | % of labour force |
|---|---|
| Oct 2024 | 3.7 |
| Nov 2024 | 3.7 |
| Dec 2024 | 3.7 |
| Jan 2025 | 3.8 |
| Feb 2025 | 3.8 |
| Mar 2025 | 3.9 |
| Apr 2025 | 3.8 |
| May 2025 | 3.8 |
| Jun 2025 | 3.8 |
| Jul 2025 | 3.8 |
| Aug 2025 | 3.9 |
| Sep 2025 | 4 |
| Oct 2025 | 4 |
| Nov 2025 | 4 |
| Dec 2025 | 4 |
| Jan 2026 | 4 |
| Feb 2026 | 4.1 |
| Mar 2026 | 4 |
| Apr 2026 | 3.9 |
| May 2026 | 3.9 |
| Jun 2026 | 3.8 |
| Jul 2026 | 4 |
| Aug 2026 | 4 |
| Sep 2026 | 4 |
Seasonally adjusted unemployment among 15 to 75-year-olds was 4.0% of the labour force in September, unchanged from July and August, CBS says.
This week Minister Thierry Aartsen (Work and Participation) proposed giving statushouders, refugees granted a residence permit, more time for the integration course (inburgering) if they work at least four days a week.
Source: CBS
More on work and jobs
Guide: Inburgering: who must integrate, the three routes, deadlines, costs and fines
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