In 2022, 72% of young people in the EU (aged 15-29) remained outside the workforce during formal education. Another 25% worked during their studies and 3% were available for work and actively searched for work (unemployed), according to data published today by the European statistical office Eurostat on its website.

The dynamics of young people's transition from formal education to the labour market show significant differences across EU countries. These differences can be influenced by national education systems, learning accessibility, labour market characteristics and cultural factors.

Although a quarter of young Europeans have worked while studying, these statistics also have significant national differences. At national level, the highest proportions of young people working during formal education were observed in the Netherlands (73 per cent), Denmark (52 per cent) and Germany (45 per cent). At the same time, Romania (2 percent), Slovakia (5 percent) and Hungary (6 percent) reported the lowest shares, with Bulgaria ranking just above Hungary with nearly 7 percent working youth.

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The highest proportions of young people in formal education available for work and actively seeking work were reported in Sweden (13 percent), Finland (7 percent) and the Netherlands (6 percent). In contrast, in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Romania, Croatia, Poland and Lithuania, the proportion of young people (aged 15-29) looking for a job is less than 1 percent, while the proportion of students who are out of the workforce is among the highest.