During the first quarter of the year, Statistics Netherlands reported that the number of employees in permanent employment grew by 2.4% compared to last year. The number of employees in flexible work grew by 2%, meaning permanent work outgrew flexible work for the first time since 2009.

Data from Statistics Netherlands also showed that in the first quarter of 2018, the number of jobs increased by 76,000, the largest increase in jobs since the second quarter of 2007. The largest increases were seen in the trade, transport and hospitality sectors.

Overall, the Dutch unemployment rate stood at 4.1% during the first quarter of 2018. 

Meanwhile, the number of job vacancies rose by 49,000 in the first quarter of 2018 when compared to the previous year.  

Employees and self-employed workers worked a total of 3.3 billion hours in the first quarter of 2018, representing a 0.4% more than a quarter earlier.

Statistics Netherlands added that due to the rising number of job vacancies and the declining number of unemployed, the labour market will tighten further.