The Dutch economy has quickly recovered from the crisis caused by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Despite the fact that several contact restriction measures were still in place in 2021, the economy actually grew by 4.8 % that year. For 2022, the Centraal Economisch Planbureau – CPB (Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis) expects growth of 3.6 %. However, there is a great deal of uncertainty. For instance, the coronavirus pandemic is not yet over and the outbreak of the war in Ukraine is causing not only human suffering but also economic damage. In early 2022, the Netherlands was already struggling with high energy prices and high inflation compared with other European countries. As a result of the war and the sanctions against Russia, energy prices are likely to increase even further, and inflation may also continue to rise. This will lead to less purchasing power, especially for people on lower incomes. Uncertainty also tends to reduce confidence among both consumers and businesses, leading to less spending and/or investment. If such a cycle of decline continues, it also entails less or no economic growth.
Unemployment in the Netherlands is low, from both a historical and European perspective. On average, 4.2 % of the labour force was unemployed in 2021, which equates to 408 000 people. For 2022, the CPB expects the unemployment rate to be 4 % (385 000 people). In practice, the potential in the labour market is greater than the official statistics suggest. This is because people who are not working but are not immediately available for work and/or not (yet) looking for work are not counted as part of the unemployed active population. The Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen – UWV (Employee Insurance Agency) saw the number of people receiving unemployment benefits fall to nearly 192 000 by the end of 2021 and expects a further drop to 178 000 in 2022. That expectation is also subject to greater uncertainty than usual given the unpredictable impact of the war.
Sectors with the most jobs are care and welfare, commerce and rental and other business services. Temporary agency work increased in 2021. This is customary when an economy is doing well again after a crisis. Employers first outsource work to temporary workers. At a later stage, employers then employ people themselves under temporary or permanent contracts.
For more up-to-date information on the labour market, see www.werk.nl/arbeidsmarktinformatie.
Links:
www.werk.nl/arbeidsmarktinformatie
ukv-2022-2-volumeontwikkelingen-voorjaar-2022.pdf (uwv.nl)
Duiding arbeidsmarktontwikkelingen april 2022 (werk.nl)
Spanningsindicator: arbeidsmarkt krapper dan vóór corona (werk.nl)
The labour market was tight in the fourth quarter of 2021 in all regions of the Dutch labour market. This means that the number of unfilled vacancies exceeds the number of jobseekers who are immediately employable. Moreover, the labour market was tight or very tight in almost all occupational groups in the fourth quarter. Only in the following eight occupational groups was that not the case: education managers, bus and tram drivers, biologists and natural scientists, deck officers and pilots, social workers, librarians and curators, sports instructors and tour escorts. There are fewer opportunities for jobseekers in these eight occupational groups.
There were 376 000 vacancies in the fourth quarter of 2021. The majority of those vacancies are to be found in technical occupations (28 %), business and administrative occupations (20 %) and transport and logistics occupations (10 %).
Occupational groups – most unfilled vacancies
The top 10 occupations with the most unfilled vacancies in the fourth quarter of 2021 were:
- Technicians for industrial machinery and equipment
- General/domestic truck drivers
- Shelf-stackers / checkout assistants
- Production workers
- Warehouse and shipping workers
- Hospitality workers
- Customer service workers
- Production planners
- Commercial office staff
- Plumbers, gas, water and plumbing fitters
For more up-to-date information on the labour market, see www.werk.nl/arbeidsmarktinformatie.
Part of the labour force in the Netherlands is registered with the Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen – UWV (Employee Insurance Agency) and those people are referred to as ‘geregistreerd werkzoekenden UWV’ – GWUs (jobseekers registered with the UWV). That group consisted of 745 500 unemployed people at the end of 2021. They make up a diverse group of jobseekers who are by no means all directly employable. Of the various groups that make up the GWUs, on average those receiving unemployment benefits have the best prospects of finding work. They can often be put to work immediately and have recent work experience.
There were 191 800 people receiving unemployment benefits at the end of December 2021. However, part of that group, over 40 %, is (partially) employed and is receiving supplementary unemployment benefits.
Most unemployment benefit recipients were registered for a business or administrative occupation (22 %). They are mostly administrative employees, receptionists/telephonists, secretaries and accounting employees. There is only a limited chance of finding work in these occupations. Opportunities are, however, available for jobseekers looking for higher-skilled work. In many cases these are vacancies for individuals with higher financial or economic qualifications. It is expected that it will become more difficult to find work in this sector in the coming years due to continuing automation.
A relatively large proportion of the people on unemployment benefits is registered for a technical occupation (15 %). This group mainly comprises individuals with lower qualifications, such as construction workers or production employees. However, technically qualified jobseekers have a much better chance of finding work than people looking for an administrative role. The prospects of finding work are good for virtually all occupations with a technical background. Even more vacancies are expected in that occupational group in the coming years, with employers already having difficulty finding sufficiently qualified staff. The climate targets and energy transition will lead to further growth, both in construction (existing, new and non-residential structures) and in renewable energy transport.
For more up-to-date information on the labour market, see www.werk.nl/arbeidsmarktinformatie.
The provinces of Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe together form the northern part of the Netherlands. These three provinces belong to the sparsely populated parts of the country. North Netherlands can be described as a rural area, but the city of Groningen also gives it a sub-region with urban characteristics and a corresponding focus on services, innovation and knowledge development.
Although the territory of North Netherlands is a fairly cohesive entity in terms of economic structure, it does have differences in emphasis. The provinces of Friesland (specifically the Frisian lakes and the Frisian Islands) and Drenthe are geared to tourism. In the urban centres of Groningen and Assen there is a heavy concentration of companies and institutions engaged in public services and care. The city of Leeuwarden has a concentration of financial services. Industrial activities are mostly to be found in south-east Drenthe, eastern Groningen and in Friesland. Eemshaven is the largest seaport in the North Netherlands. Initially, the port was used primarily for transhipment, but it is now also focusing increasingly on energy and data-related activities.
The coronavirus crisis was very much being felt at the beginning of 2021, just as it was in 2020. There were few vacancies and a high number of jobseekers in many sectors. When the coronavirus measures were relaxed in mid-2021, there was a rapid increase in the number of vacancies. Sectors such as hospitality and ICT, in particular, were soon hit by a shortage of labour. Many sectors are currently experiencing a tight labour market, that is to say, there are more vacancies than available jobseekers.
However, the current uncertain situation in Ukraine may lead to new uncertainty in terms of demand, which is not yet perceptible. Many sectors are currently still experiencing a shortage of labour. Due to structural developments, such as demographic ageing, that situation is not expected to change in the coming years.
Unemployment has fallen sharply over the past year. This certainly offers opportunities for people at all levels of education in all sectors.
The largest sectors in North Netherlands are care and welfare, retail and industry. Care and welfare and retail can benefit from the cautiously positive economic developments. Possible growth in industry may be hindered by a lack of supply of mid- and higher-level jobseekers.
For more information about current developments in the labour market, see www.werk.nl/arbeidsmarktinformatie.
The labour market in North Netherlands was tight at the end of 2021: there were more vacancies than immediately employable jobseekers. There was a tight or very tight labour market in a large proportion of the occupational groups. However, there are also occupations in North Netherlands for which this is not the case. For example, for hairdressers and beauticians, painters and metal sprayers, agricultural workers and process operators, the labour market is slack and there are more jobseekers than vacancies. Opportunities for jobseekers in those fields are therefore also scarce.
There were 25 000 vacancies in North Netherlands in the last quarter of 2021. This means that the number of vacancies was higher than before the coronavirus crisis. Most vacancies were for technical occupations (7 800), business and administrative occupations (4 500) and transport and logistics occupations (2 600).
Occupational groups – most unfilled vacancies
The top 10 occupations with the most unfilled vacancies in North Netherlands in the fourth quarter of 2021 were:
- Technicians for industrial machinery and equipment
- Shelf-stackers / checkout assistants
- Production workers
- Personal healthcare assistants
- Office and business cleaners
- General/domestic truck drivers
- Customer service workers
- Hospitality workers
- Warehouse and shipping workers
- Planners and calculators in construction and installation engineering
For more information about current developments in the labour market, see www.werk.nl/arbeidsmarktinformatie.
Part of the labour force in the Netherlands is registered with the Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen – UWV (Employee Insurance Agency) and those people are referred to as ‘geregistreerd werkzoekenden UWV’ – GWUs (jobseekers registered with the UWV). In North Netherlands, that group consisted of 81 100 unemployed people at the end of 2021. They make up a diverse group of jobseekers who are by no means all directly employable. Of the various groups that make up the GWUs, on average those receiving unemployment benefits have the best prospects of finding work. They can often be put to work immediately and have recent work experience. Overall, there were 19 400 people receiving unemployment benefits in North Netherlands at the end of December 2021. However, part of that group, approximately 45 %, is already (partially) employed and is receiving unemployment benefits on a supplementary basis.
The group receiving unemployment benefits in North Netherlands consists of slightly more men than women. A relatively large proportion, almost a quarter, has no basic qualification with which to enter the labour market. Moreover, 21 % of the people receiving unemployment benefits are over 60.
Most unemployment benefit recipients in North Netherlands were registered for a technical occupation (20 %). This group mainly comprises individuals with lower qualifications, such as construction workers or production employees. The prospects of finding work are good for virtually all occupations with a technical background. Even more vacancies are expected in that sector in the coming years, with employers already having difficulty finding sufficiently qualified staff. The climate targets and energy transition will lead to further growth in that sector, both in construction (existing, new and non-residential structures) and in renewable energy transport.
The second sector for which a large number of jobseekers were registered was that of business or administrative occupations (19 % of the total number of unemployment benefits paid). They are mostly administrative employees, receptionists/telephonists, secretaries and accounting employees. There is only a limited chance of finding work in these occupations. Opportunities are, however, available for jobseekers looking for higher-skilled work. In many cases these are vacancies for individuals with higher financial or economic qualifications. It is expected that it will become more difficult to find work in this sector in the coming years due to continuing automation.
For more information about current developments in the labour market, see www.werk.nl/arbeidsmarktinformatie.
The provinces of North Brabant and Limburg together form the southern part of the Netherlands. Approximately 3.7 million people live in the two provinces, accounting for 21 % of the Dutch population. South Netherlands can be described as a rural area, but the cities of Breda, Eindhoven, Maastricht and Venlo also give it a sub-region with urban characteristics and a corresponding focus on services, tourism, innovation and knowledge development.
Although the territory of South Netherlands is a fairly cohesive entity in terms of economic structure, it does have differences in emphasis. The province of Limburg (particularly South Limburg) has the image of a tourist destination. In the urban centres there is a heavy concentration of companies and institutions engaged in public services and care. The city of Eindhoven has a concentration of innovation and technical development. Logistics and transport companies are mainly located in Western and Central Brabant.
The coronavirus crisis was very much being felt at the beginning of 2021, just as it was in 2020. There were few vacancies and a high number of jobseekers in many sectors. When the coronavirus measures were relaxed in mid-2021, there was a rapid increase in the number of vacancies. Sectors such as hospitality and ICT, in particular, were soon hit by a shortage of labour. Many sectors are currently experiencing a tight labour market, that is to say, there are more vacancies than available jobseekers. However, the current uncertain situation in Ukraine may lead to new uncertainty in terms of demand, which is not yet perceptible. Many sectors are currently still experiencing a shortage of labour. Due to structural developments, such as demographic ageing, that situation is not expected to change in the coming years. Unemployment has fallen sharply over the past year. This certainly offers opportunities for people at all levels of education in all sectors.
The largest sectors in South Netherlands are retail, care and welfare, and industry. Care and welfare and retail can benefit from the cautiously positive economic developments. Possible growth in industry may be hindered by a lack of supply of mid- and higher-level jobseekers.
For more information about current developments in the labour market, see www.werk.nl/arbeidsmarktinformatie.
The labour market in South Netherlands was tight at the end of 2021: there were many more vacancies than immediately employable jobseekers. There was a tight or very tight labour market in a large proportion of the occupational groups. It was only for agricultural workers and tour escorts that the labour market was slack and there were more jobseekers than vacancies. Opportunities for jobseekers in those fields are therefore also scarce.
There were 88 000 vacancies in North Brabant and Limburg in the last quarter of 2021. This means that the number of vacancies was higher than before the coronavirus crisis. Most vacancies were for technical occupations (27 400), business and administrative occupations (16 200) and transport and logistics occupations (10 400).
Occupational groups – most unfilled vacancies
The top 10 occupations with the most unfilled vacancies in South Netherlands in the fourth quarter of 2021 were:
- Technicians for industrial machinery and equipment
- Production workers
- General/domestic truck drivers
- Warehouse and shipping workers
- Shelf-stackers / checkout assistants
- Customer service workers
- Hospitality workers
- Commercial office staff
- Office and business cleaners
- Production planners
For more information about current developments in the labour market, see www.werk.nl/arbeidsmarktinformatie.
Part of the labour force in the Netherlands is registered with the Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen – UWV (Employee Insurance Agency) and those people are referred to as ‘geregistreerd werkzoekenden UWV’ – GWUs (jobseekers registered with the UWV). In South Netherlands, that group consisted of 146 100 unemployed people at the end of 2021. They make up a diverse group of jobseekers who are by no means all directly employable. Of the various groups that make up the GWUs, on average those receiving unemployment benefits have the best prospects of finding work: they can often be put to work immediately and have recent work experience. Overall, there were 43 100 people receiving unemployment benefits in South Netherlands at the end of December 2021. However, part of that group, approximately 40 %, is already (partially) employed and is receiving unemployment benefits on a supplementary basis.
The group receiving unemployment benefits in South Netherlands consists of approximately the same number of men as women. A relatively large proportion, almost a quarter, has no basic qualification with which to enter the labour market. Moreover, 23 % of the people receiving unemployment benefits are over 60.
Most unemployment benefit recipients in South Netherlands were registered for a business or administrative occupation (22 % of the total number of unemployment benefits paid). They are mostly administrative employees, receptionists/telephonists, secretaries and accounting employees. There is only a limited chance of finding work in these occupations. Opportunities are, however, available for jobseekers looking for higher-skilled work. In many cases these are vacancies for individuals with higher financial or economic qualifications. It is expected that it will become more difficult to find work in this sector in the coming years due to continuing automation.
The second sector for which a large number of jobseekers were registered was that of technical occupations (18 % of the total number of unemployment benefits paid). This group mainly comprises individuals with lower qualifications, such as construction workers or production employees. However, technically qualified jobseekers have a much better chance of finding work than people looking for an administrative role. The prospects of finding work are good for virtually all occupations with a technical background. Even more vacancies are expected in that sector in the coming years, with employers already having difficulty finding sufficiently qualified staff. The climate targets and energy transition will lead to further growth in that sector, both in construction (existing, new and non-residential structures) and in renewable energy transport.
In South Netherlands there is a high level of commuting across the border with both Belgium and Germany. The bottlenecks on the labour market are similar on both sides of the border, however. Grensmatch is the job vacancy tool for cross-border work in these regions.
For more information about current developments in the labour market, see www.werk.nl/arbeidsmarktinformatie..
The provinces of Gelderland, Flevoland and Overijssel together form the eastern part of the Netherlands. The region has a great deal of natural beauty, a rich cultural history, a diverse business community and three major universities. Taken together, almost 4 million people live in these provinces, accounting for 21 % of the total population. The province of Gelderland has the largest population, with 2 million inhabitants.
The eastern provinces are characterised by a strong presence of service sectors. Traditionally, the manufacturing industry and agriculture have also had a strong presence in this part of the country. The labour market in these regions is regarded as tight or very tight.
Wageningen enriches the province of Gelderland as a centre of knowledge in the field of food and agriculture in the Netherlands. East Netherlands is committed to green energy, beautiful countryside and powerful cities with strong small and medium-sized enterprises, making it a pleasant environment for living, working and leisure. As a border region, East Netherlands is a logistics link between the Randstad and the Ruhr. A joint cross-border work programme with Germany has been in place for over 50 years.
The coronavirus crisis was very much being felt at the beginning of 2021, just as it was in 2020. There were few vacancies and a high number of jobseekers in many sectors. When the coronavirus measures were relaxed in mid-2021, there was a rapid increase in the number of vacancies. All sectors are currently experiencing a tight labour market, that is to say, there are more vacancies than available jobseekers. Due to structural developments, such as demographic ageing, that situation is also not expected to change in the coming years. However, the current uncertain situation in Ukraine may lead to uncertainty in terms of demand, which is not yet perceptible. Unemployment has fallen sharply over the past year. This certainly offers opportunities for people at all levels of education in all sectors. Employment has grown in recent years and is expected to continue to do so.
The largest sectors in East Netherlands are health and welfare, commerce and rental and other business services. Those sectors are still growing, but the lack of jobseekers is hampering that growth. Achterhoek and Twente are peripheral regions and, due to the sectors present there, they are subject to a degree of seasonality which is above the national average.
(Source: Centraal Bureau Statistiek – CBS (Statistics Netherlands)
For more information about current developments in the labour market, see www.werk.nl/arbeidsmarktinformatie.
The labour market in East Netherlands was very tight at the end of 2021: there were many more vacancies than immediately employable jobseekers. There was a tight or very tight labour market in a large proportion of the occupational groups. It was only for tour escorts and managers of commercial and personal services that the labour market was slack and there were more jobseekers than vacancies. Opportunities for jobseekers in those fields are therefore also scarce. There were 74 800 vacancies in East Netherlands in the last quarter of 2021. This means that the number of vacancies was higher than before the coronavirus crisis. Most vacancies were for technical occupations (23 700), business and administrative occupations (13 600) and transport and logistics occupations (8 300).
Occupational groups – most unfilled vacancies
The top 10 occupations with the most unfilled vacancies in East Netherlands in the fourth quarter of 2021 were:
- Technicians for industrial machinery and equipment
- General/domestic truck drivers
- Production workers
- Shelf-stackers / checkout assistants
- Warehouse and shipping workers
- Commercial office staff
- Office and business cleaners
- Planners and calculators in construction and installation
- Personal healthcare assistants
- Plumbers
For more information about current developments in the labour market, see www.werk.nl/arbeidsmarktinformatie.
Part of the labour force in the Netherlands is registered with the Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen – UWV (Employee Insurance Agency) and those people are referred to as ‘geregistreerd werkzoekenden UWV’ – GWUs (jobseekers registered with the UWV). In East Netherlands, that group consisted of 142 800 unemployed people at the end of 2021. They make up a diverse group of jobseekers who are by no means all directly employable. Of the various groups that make up the GWUs, on average those receiving unemployment benefits have the best prospects of finding work: they can often be put to work immediately and have recent work experience. Overall, there were 36 400 people receiving unemployment benefits in East Netherlands at the end of December 2021. However, part of that group, approximately 40 %, is already (partially) employed and is receiving unemployment benefits on a supplementary basis.
The group receiving unemployment benefits in East Netherlands consists of approximately the same number of men as women. A relatively large proportion, almost a quarter, has no basic qualification with which to enter the labour market. Moreover, 21 % of the people receiving unemployment benefits are over 60.
Most unemployment benefit recipients in East Netherlands were registered for a business or administrative occupation (21% of the total number of unemployment benefits paid). They are mostly administrative employees, receptionists/telephonists, secretaries and accounting employees. There is only a limited chance of finding work in these occupations. Opportunities are, however, available for jobseekers looking for higher-skilled work. In many cases these are vacancies for individuals with higher financial or economic qualifications. It is expected that it will become more difficult to find work in this sector in the coming years due to continuing automation.
The second sector for which a large number of jobseekers were registered was that of technical occupations (16% of the total number of unemployment benefits paid). This group mainly comprises individuals with lower qualifications, such as construction workers or production employees. However, technically qualified jobseekers have a much better chance of finding work than people looking for an administrative role. The prospects of finding work are good for virtually all occupations with a technical background. Even more vacancies are expected in that sector in the coming years, with employers already having difficulty finding sufficiently qualified staff. The climate targets and energy transition will lead to further growth in that sector, both in construction (existing, new and non-residential structures) and in renewable energy transport.
In East Netherlands there is a high level of commuting across the border with Germany. The bottlenecks on the labour market are similar on both sides of the border, however. Grensmatch is the job vacancy tool for cross-border work in these regions.
For more information about current developments in the labour market, see www.werk.nl/arbeidsmarktinformatie.
The provinces of North Holland, South Holland, Utrecht and Zeeland together form the western part of the Netherlands. The country’s four largest cities (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht) are located in this area, which is also known as the Randstad. Almost 50 % of the total population of the Netherlands (almost 8.5 million people) live in this part of the country, which is also where the largest share of the country’s employment is located.
The provinces of North Holland and Utrecht are characterised by a strong presence of service sectors. There are many jobs in the administrative sectors, both in finance and in personal services. In addition, the capital Amsterdam offers a very diverse range of employment opportunities due to the presence of Schiphol Airport, tourism and the port.
The Port of Rotterdam is a major employer in South Holland, with the cities of Rotterdam and The Hague. The establishment of the government in The Hague, an administrative centre, creates a different kind of employment, namely in public administration.
By contrast, the province of Zeeland is a rural area with a high level of tourism and an industrial presence.
The coronavirus crisis was very much being felt at the beginning of 2021, just as it was in 2020. There were few vacancies and a high number of jobseekers in many sectors. When the coronavirus measures were relaxed in mid-2021, there was a rapid increase in the number of vacancies. Sectors such as hospitality and temporary agency work, in particular, were soon hit by a shortage of labour. All sectors are currently experiencing a tight labour market, that is to say, there are more vacancies than available jobseekers.
Since the western part of the Netherlands has many diverse employment opportunities, the rapidly changing economic conditions have not led to major problems in the various sectors. However, the current uncertain situation in Ukraine may lead to uncertainty in terms of demand, which is not yet perceptible. All sectors are currently still experiencing a shortage of labour. Due to structural developments, such as demographic ageing, that situation is not expected to change in the coming years.
Unemployment has fallen sharply over the past year. This certainly offers opportunities for people at all levels of education in all sectors.
The largest sectors in West Netherlands are ICT and care and welfare. Those sectors are still growing, but the lack of jobseekers is hampering that growth.
In most regions of West Netherlands, sectors such as care and welfare and retail are starting to benefit from the cautiously positive economic developments.
For more information about current developments in the labour market, see www.werk.nl/arbeidsmarktinformatie.
The labour market West Netherlands was tight at the end of 2021: there were many more vacancies than immediately employable jobseekers. There was a tight or very tight labour market in a large proportion of the occupational groups. It was only for agricultural workers and tour escorts that the labour market was slack and there were more jobseekers than vacancies. Opportunities for jobseekers in those fields are therefore also scarce.
In the last quarter of 2021, there were almost 187 000 vacancies in the four provinces that make up the western part of the Netherlands. This means that the number of vacancies was higher than before the coronavirus crisis. Most vacancies were for technical occupations (45 600), business and administrative occupations (40 800) and transport and logistics occupations (17 600).
Occupational groups – most unfilled vacancies
The top 10 occupations with the most unfilled vacancies in West Netherlands in the fourth quarter of 2021 were:
- Technicians for industrial machinery and equipment
- General/domestic truck drivers
- Shelf-stackers / checkout assistants
- Warehouse and shipping workers
- Production planners
- Hospitality workers
- Customer service workers
- Production workers
- Commercial office staff
- Sales and marketing managers
For more information about current developments in the labour market, see www.werk.nl/arbeidsmarktinformatie.
Part of the labour force in the Netherlands is registered with the Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen – UWV (Employee Insurance Agency) and those people are referred to as ‘geregistreerd werkzoekenden UWV’ – GWUs (jobseekers registered with the UWV). In West Netherlands, that group consisted of 373 500 unemployed people at the end of 2021. They make up a diverse group of jobseekers who are by no means all directly employable. Of the various groups that make up the GWUs, on average those receiving unemployment benefits have the best prospects of finding work: they can often be put to work immediately and have recent work experience. Overall, there were 90 700 people receiving unemployment benefits in West Netherlands at the end of December 2021. However, part of that group, approximately 40 %, is already (partially) employed and is receiving unemployment benefits on a supplementary basis.
The group receiving unemployment benefits in West Netherlands roughly consists of slightly more women than men. A relatively large proportion, almost a quarter, has no basic qualification with which to enter the labour market. Moreover, 18 % of the people receiving unemployment benefits are over 60.
Most unemployment benefit recipients in West Netherlands were registered for a business or administrative occupation (22 % of the total number of unemployment benefits paid). They are mostly administrative employees, receptionists/telephonists, secretaries and accounting employees. There is only a limited chance of finding work in these occupations. Opportunities are, however, available for jobseekers looking for higher-skilled work. In many cases these are vacancies for individuals with higher financial or economic qualifications. It is expected that it will become more difficult to find work in this sector in the coming years due to continuing automation.
The second sector for which a large number of jobseekers were registered was that of technical occupations (12 % of the total number of unemployment benefits paid). This group mainly comprises individuals with lower qualifications, such as construction workers or production employees. However, technically qualified jobseekers have a much better chance of finding work than people looking for an administrative role. The prospects of finding work are good for virtually all occupations with a technical background. Even more vacancies are expected in that sector in the coming years, with employers already having difficulty finding sufficiently qualified staff. The climate targets and energy transition will lead to further growth in that sector, both in construction (existing, new and non-residential structures) and in renewable energy transport.
In West Netherlands there is a high level of commuting across the border with both Belgium and Germany. The bottlenecks on the labour market are similar on both sides of the border, however. Grensmatch is the job vacancy tool for cross-border work in these regions.
For more information about current developments in the labour market, see www.werk.nl/arbeidsmarktinformatie.