The Netherland’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 4.0% in September 2026, unchanged from the previous two months and remaining at its highest level since March. The number of unemployed people remained steady at 408 thousand, with 3.2 million people outside the labor force, which mainly consists of retirees and individuals unable to work due to illness or disability. At the end of September, the number of unemployment benefits stood at 197.1 thousand, up 1.2% from the previous month, as 24.6 thousand new claims were added, while 22.2 thousand were terminated. Meanwhile, employment increased by 4 thousand to 9.831 million, while the labor force also rose by 4 thousand to 10.239 million. The gross labor force participation rate stood at 76.1%, while the net participation rate held at 73.1%. Over the past three months, unemployment increased by an average of 5 thousand per month, while employment remained unchanged.