The Dutch jobs market will continue to shrink this year despite improvements in the economy as a whole, the government’s benefit agency UWV said on Monday.

The number of jobs will fall by 66,000, or 0.9%, this year, the UWV says in its latest 2014 forecasts. At the same time, 50,000 more people will claim unemployment benefits, taking the total to 485,000 by the end of the year.

The only areas in which employment opportunities will improve are the temporary employment sector and in wholesaling, the UWV says. Employment levels will stabilise in teaching, transport, logistics and the hospitality industry.