Business · Economy · 5 hrs ago
Unemployment rises faster among migrants in the Netherlands
In the first three quarters of this year, unemployment rose among migrants in the Netherlands.
For people born outside the country, the rate went from 5.8% in 2024 to almost 7%.
It also increased among people born in the Netherlands to one or two foreign-born parents, known as the second generation.
Among people born in the Netherlands to Dutch-born parents, unemployment rose only slightly, from 2.9% to 3%.
This means the employment gap between groups widened, though the statistics office does not yet know exactly why.
It says education may play a role, and notes that migrants tend to be younger, while younger people are more often unemployed.
The Dutch labour market remains tight, and more people looking for work may have contributed to the increase; no further steps are described.
Unemployment rose among migrants in the Netherlands, while the increase among people of Dutch origin was small.
The unemployment rate among people born outside the Netherlands climbed from 5.8 percent in 2024 to nearly 7 percent in the first three quarters of 2026.
For people born in the Netherlands to Dutch-origin parents, the rate edged up from 2.9 to 3 percent.
Unemployment also increased among the Dutch-born second generation, whose parents were born abroad.
Statistics Netherlands said it does not yet know exactly why unemployment rose more among migrant groups.
- Who
- Migrants and people of migrant origin in the Netherlands, compared with people of Dutch origin.
- What
- Unemployment rose more among migrants and the second generation than among people of Dutch origin.
- When
- In the first three quarters of 2026, compared with 2024 figures.
- Where
- The Netherlands.
- Why
- Statistics Netherlands said the cause is not yet known. Education level, age and more people looking for work may play a role.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Unemployment among people born outside the Netherlands was 5.8 percent.
Unemployment among people born outside the Netherlands rose to nearly 7 percent, while the rate for people of Dutch origin rose from 2.9 to 3 percent.
- Foreign-born unemployment in 2024
- 5.8 percent
- Foreign-born unemployment, first three quarters of 2026
- Nearly 7 percent
- Dutch-origin unemployment in 2024
- 2.9 percent
- Dutch-origin unemployment, first three quarters of 2026
- 3 percent
- Statistics agency
- Statistics Netherlands (CBS)
3 sources
What people are saying
We see that unemployment has risen slightly across the Netherlands over the past year, but there are differences.
If you look at people of Dutch origin, who were born in the Netherlands and whose parents were also born here, the increase is very small.