Netherlands

Employment is at a record high — competition for skills is tight

75.8% employed (age 20–64), 2024

Eurostat reports the EU employment rate for people aged 20–64 reached 75.8% in 2024 — the highest since the series began in 2009 (and rising above 76% in 2025). A tight market makes visible, evidenced skills more valuable, not less.

Source

Eurostat source

Figure date

2024 annual

Last checked

2026-06-13

Eurostat Labour Force Survey, EU employment rate age 20–64, 2024 annual (published Apr 2025); highest since the 2009 series start.

Shortages span the whole labour market

The EURES / European Labour Authority report on labour shortages & surpluses lists long-standing shortages in healthcare, construction and hospitality, plus highly-skilled gaps in engineering and IT, and — in the 2024 edition — transport and storage (drivers, mobile-plant operators). The gap is economy-wide, not one sector.

Source

EURES / European Labour Authority source

Figure date

2024 report (published Jun 2025)

Last checked

2026-06-13

EURES Report on labour shortages and surpluses 2024; shortage occupations are listed per country at the source.

Almost half of employers can't find the right skills

46% of SMEs (≈70% of those hiring)

A European Commission Eurobarometer survey found 46% of EU SMEs found it difficult or very difficult to find staff with the right skills over the past two years — rising to about 70% among SMEs that actually hired. It is a matching problem, not only a supply problem.

Source

European Commission source

Figure date

2024 Eurobarometer (SME skills)

Last checked

2026-06-13

European Commission Eurobarometer on SMEs and skill shortages, 2024: 46% of SMEs found it (very) difficult to find rightly-skilled staff in the prior 24 months; ~70% among SMEs that hired.

The skills jobs need are shifting to digital

55.6% of EU adults with basic digital skills

Cedefop's analysis points to nearly 9 in 10 jobs requiring digital skills, while only about 55.6% of EU adults have at least basic digital skills. The skills profile of many jobs is changing faster than a static CV can show.

Source

Cedefop source

Figure date

Cedefop Skills Forecast / digital-skills analysis (2024)

Last checked

2026-06-13

Cedefop, 'Digital skills ambitions in action' / Skills Forecast (2024): ~9/10 jobs will require digital skills; ~55.6% of EU adults have at least basic digital skills.

The working-age population is shrinking

22 / 27EU countries with working-age decline by 2050

Eurostat population projections show 22 of the 27 EU countries are expected to see their working-age (20–64) population decline by 2050, with the old-age dependency ratio rising substantially. Retaining, re-skilling and matching workers to need becomes structurally more important.

Source

Eurostat source

Figure date

Eurostat population projections (2024 base)

Last checked

2026-06-13

Eurostat population projections / 'Old-age dependency growing across EU regions' (Oct 2025): 22 of 27 EU countries projected to see working-age (20–64) population decline by 2050.

Cross-border mobility helps balance shortages

1.83Mcross-border workers (10.1M work abroad)

The European Commission's Annual Report on Intra-EU Labour Mobility shows about 10.1 million EU citizens of working age work in another member state and roughly 1.83 million are cross-border workers — and movers' employment rate (78%) exceeds nationals' (76%). Relevant for a Baltic & Northern European market where people work across borders.

Source

European Commission source

Figure date

2024 edition (published Feb 2025)

Last checked

2026-06-13

EC Annual Report on Intra-EU Labour Mobility 2024 (data 2022–2023): ~10.1M working-age EU citizens work abroad; ~1.83M cross-border workers; movers' employment rate 78% vs 76% for nationals.