The total amount of hours worked by temporary workers in the Netherlands decreased by 8% in the seventh period (weeks 25-28) of 2019, compared to the same period last year, according to the Dutch Federation of Private Employment Agencies (ABU).

ABU divides the year into four-week periods, with the seventh period the most recently ended. This period had the same number of workable days as in the same period last year, no correction was applied.

Temporary worker turnover decreased by 3% in comparison to the same period last year.

Temporary workers in the administrative sector saw their hours decrease by 9% compared to the same period last year while turnover decreased by 5% in the same period.

In the industrial sector, the number of hours decreased by 7% and turnover decreased by 2% compared to the same period last year.

Within the technical sector, the number of hours decreased by 7% and the turnover decreased by 3% compared to the same period last year.

ABU will publish its figures for the sixth period on 3 September 2019.

The unemployment rate in the Netherlands stood at 3.4% in June 2019 according to data from Eurostat.