The Dutch Labour Market in 2026: Where Is the Work for Flex Workers?

For years the Netherlands has had more jobs than people, but in 2026 you can feel things slowing down. Unemployment is rising a little, and the market is less tight than a few years ago, yet most trades are still looking for workers. Here is a summary of what the latest data shows, and what it means for you if you work, or want to work, there as a flex worker.

Unemployment: a slight rise

According to the Dutch statistics office (CBS), unemployment in September 2026 was 4.0%, which is about 408 thousand people. The rate did not change compared to August, but in the three months before, the number of unemployed people grew by about 5 thousand per month.

At the same time the UWV paid about 197 thousand WW benefits (unemployment benefits).

What does this mean? 4.0% is still seen as a low level. This is not a crisis; it is a very overheated market slowly cooling down.

Cooling, but still tight

The UWV (the Dutch employment agency) measures every quarter how hard it is to find people in each type of job. According to the measurement for the first quarter of 2026:

• the tightness has eased since the 2022 peak,
• but the market is still tighter than it used to be,
• of 93 occupation groups, 87 are tight or very tight.

Put simply: employers still find it hard to find people, just not as desperately as a few years ago.

Where is the most work?

According to the UWV, the biggest shortages are in technical and healthcare jobs. Examples:

• electricians,
• mechanics,
• plumbers,
• specialist nurses, physiotherapists, carers.

Construction and industrial helpers are in the middle: there is demand for them, but the shortage is not as big as for skilled workers.

The report published in June 2026 by the European Labour Authority (ELA) and EURES shows a similar picture at European level. The occupations missing in the most countries (in how many of the 28 countries studied a shortage was reported):

Occupation	Number of countries
Specialist doctors	22
Welders and flame cutters	22
Building electricians	21
Plumbers and pipe fitters	20
Nurses	20
Heavy truck drivers	19

According to the same report, the Netherlands reported 195 shortage occupations, putting it in second place after Italy. In the Netherlands only 8 occupations have a surplus, and unemployment is lower than in the other leading countries.

Where there are more applicants

It is also worth knowing where there is more competition. According to the ELA report, at European level there is a surplus of, among others:

• graphic and multimedia designers (in 19 countries),
• cleaners and helpers in offices and hotels (in 16 countries),
• general office clerks (in 15 countries).

This does not mean there are no jobs in this work. It means there are more applicants, and it is harder to get better conditions.

Pay: where does the Netherlands stand?

From 1 July 2026 the Dutch minimum wage from age 21 is €14.99 gross per hour, and the monthly reference amount is €2 337. With 40 hours a week that is about €600 gross per week.

To compare, according to Eurostat data for January 2026, the monthly minimum wage was over €2 300 in Germany and Ireland, over €2 700 in Luxembourg, and about €620 in Bulgaria. In Hungary, from January 2026 the gross monthly minimum wage is 322 800 Ft, and the guaranteed minimum wage is 373 200 Ft.

Remember: living in the Netherlands is expensive too, and housing, insurance and transport take a big share. Always count with the net amount after deductions.

How to read the news

News about the labour market often seems to contradict itself: one article says unemployment is rising, another says everyone is looking for workers. In fact both can be true at the same time.

The national average does not tell you the situation in your trade or your region. One trade can have a big shortage, while another has more applicants than jobs. So for your own decision, always look at how many job ads there are for your type of work, and what conditions they offer.

What does this mean for you as a flex worker?

1. A trade makes your position stronger. If you are a welder, electrician, plumber or truck driver, the shortage gives you a better chance of better conditions. It is worth comparing several offers.

2. There is demand for helpers too, but more competition. You can find work as a helper in production, warehouses or construction, but in a slowing market you have less choice.

3. Be ready for uncertainty. When the market slows down, flex workers are often hit first. Have some savings, and start looking for your next job in time.

4. The rules are getting stricter, and that is good for you. From 1 January 2027 only licensed agencies may supply workers (the Wtta law). Most of the Wet meer zekerheid flexwerkers comes into force on 1 January 2028: a faster path to a permanent contract, and the same conditions as permanent employees.

5. Many people are in a similar situation. There is no single official figure for the number of labour migrants: the estimates quoted by CBS for 2023 range between about 700 thousand and 910 thousand people, depending on the source and the method. In 2025 about 7% of adults, roughly 960 thousand people, said they were a labour migrant. According to a 2026 CBS survey, two thirds of Dutch people support letting in labour migrants in limited numbers, so the topic is also on the political agenda.

On Eyesonworks.eu you can filter job ads by type of work, province, housing and net weekly pay, and you always reach the agency's original job ad.

In short

• Dutch unemployment was 4.0% in September 2026, with a slightly rising trend.
• The market has eased since the 2022 peak, but 87 of 93 occupation groups are still tight.
• The biggest shortages are in technical and healthcare jobs.
• A trade makes your position stronger; for helper jobs there is more competition.
• The new rules (Wtta, Wet meer zekerheid flexwerkers) improve the position of flex workers.