KVK ZZP monitor: number of self-employed stable again in March

The number of self-employed professionals, zzp’ers, remained almost the same again in March 2025, as in February. On 31 March, 1,770,864 zzp’er were registered in the Business Register, 500 more than a month earlier. This is according to the KVK ZZP-Monitor for March 2025.

The total number of quitters rose by 3,250 compared to March 2024, an increase of 32%. The number of starters fell by 4,300 (22%) compared to a year ago. We also saw these trends in previous months, resulting in a stabilisation where previously a continuous increase was the norm.

Fluctuations

The trend in the number of zzp’ers differs by sector. The largest climber is the IT and Media sector with almost 500. The Personal Services sector saw the number of self-employed increase by more than 300.

The decrease is greatest in Health Care (750 zzp’ers) and Construction (325 zzp’ers). So, the slight downward trend in these sectors continues.

Forecast: decline in healthcare and construction will continue

Joris Knoben, Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the Tilburg School of Economics and Management: “The fact that the number of zzp’er is stabilising is a break with the trend in recent years, when the number of zzp’er rose sharply. However, the differences between sectors are significant. The number of zzp'ers is falling in the sectors where concerns about false self-employment are greatest (healthcare and construction). Part of that decline is wanted by the government. But there are signs that the lack of clarity about false self-employment is causing clients to become so cautious about hiring zzp’ers that even real zzp’er are not getting any, or fewer, assignments. Various attempts are now being made to create more clarity for clients and zzp’ers. I expect the current trend of a decline in healthcare and construction and a stable number of zzp’ers as a whole to continue for the rest of 2025.”

Monitoring false self-employment

The Netherlands Tax Administration will take stricter action from 2025 if it turns out that an employment relationship does not involve entrepreneurship, but rather salaried employment or employment via a temping agency. Enforcement on this false self-employment may affect the number of zzp'ers registered in the Business Register.

This is what you get from the KVK ZZP monitor

1. Numbers of self-employed people

Every month, you can find the total number of self-employed professionals, the total number of starters, and the total number of quitters. You can immediately see whether the number is higher or lower than in the same month a year earlier.

2. Self-employed trends over several years

The monitor also shows the development of self-employed professionals over the past few years in a single graph. At a glance, you can see the development compared to the same month a year earlier.

3. Sectors with the sharpest decline

The monitor shows the 5 sectors where the decrease in the number of self-employed persons was the strongest. An Excel file is available with detailed figures on the 100 sectors with the most self-employed professionals.

4. Notable data

What else stands out? You can read about the most important developments of the past month in the KVK ZZP monitor.

More information

More up-to-date figures and trends and reliable insights on Dutch business can be found at KVK Figures and Trends.