Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Belgium
Belgium: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) was 71.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Belgium, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Belgium is 71.0%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Belgium peaked at 71.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 58.8%, in 1990.
That places Belgium 80th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Belgium, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 58.8% | — |
| 1991 | 60.1% | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 60.6% | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 60.9% | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 61.8% | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 62.2% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 62.4% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 62.7% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 63.3% | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 64.6% | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 65.2% | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 63.5% | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 64.0% | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 64.2% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 65.2% | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 66.7% | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 66.5% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 67.1% | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 67.1% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 66.9% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 67.7% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 66.7% | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 66.9% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 67.5% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 67.7% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 67.6% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 67.6% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 68.0% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 68.6% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 69.0% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 68.6% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 69.7% | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 70.5% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 70.6% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 71.0% | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 71.0% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 61.7% | 58.8% | 64.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 65.7% | 63.5% | 67.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 67.7% | 66.7% | 69.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 70.2% | 68.6% | 71.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More work & labour data for Belgium
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.1652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.1676 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.1614 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.59 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.1395 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 12,349 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 139 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 5,498 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 5,563 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 11,061 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Belgium?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Belgium was 71.0% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 71.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 58.8% in 1990.
- How does Belgium rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages)?
- Belgium ranks 80th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15-64 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.