Hays Global Skills Index

Unemployment in the Netherlands reached a 10-year low of 3.8% in 2018 and the job vacancies rate reached an all-time high.

Despite this strong labour market performance, wage growth has been constrained by slow productivity growth and increasing part-time and self-employed work.

Key drivers

Wage Pressure in High-Skill Industries

Weak wage growth in the professional, scientific and technical sector contributed to a narrowing of the gap between wages in high- and low-skill industries.

Labour Market Participation

The participation rate is forecast to rise in the Netherlands, easing the pressure on Dutch firms seeking to expand, as the pool of available workers becomes larger.

Talent Mismatch

While the vacancy rate remains low by international standards, it has risen to its highest rate in over a decade in the Netherlands.

Key skills in demand

• Account Managers
• Software Engineers
• Web Developers
• Sales Managers
• Financial Controllers