The working population of the provinces of Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe will shrink by 16% over the next 30 years, vastly increasing the gap in the workforce, RTV Noord reports, citing the findings of the Economic Barometer North Netherlands.
More northerners will have to join the workforce if the three provinces are to have an efficient labor market, according to the Barometer. Otherwise, migrant workers will have to be recruited to keep the northern economy going.
“In order to maintain a sufficient size of the working population, labor participation will have to grow further in the coming years. Demand for migrant workers is also likely to increase,” the report commissioned by the provincial authorities says.
Labor force participation rate in Groningen, Friesland and Drenthe has lagged behind the rest of the Netherlands in recent years. The provinces conclude that the leveling off in growth is the first sign of an approaching contraction.
