Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Belgium
Belgium: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 56.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Belgium, 1961–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Belgium is 56.0%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.6% on the previous year and up 5.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Belgium peaked at 56.0% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 40.0%, in 1981.
Belgium ranks 144th of 199 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Belgium, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 49.9% | — |
| 1970 | 49.2% | -1.5% |
| 1977 | 41.2% | -16.1% |
| 1979 | 42.0% | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 42.1% | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 40.0% | -5.0% |
| 1983 | 50.7% | +26.7% |
| 1984 | 49.7% | -1.9% |
| 1985 | 50.0% | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 49.9% | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 49.1% | -1.5% |
| 1988 | 48.6% | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 48.4% | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 48.3% | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 49.3% | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 49.6% | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 49.7% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 50.3% | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 50.5% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 50.4% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 50.5% | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 50.9% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 51.9% | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 52.3% | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 50.9% | -2.7% |
| 2002 | 51.2% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 51.3% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 52.0% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 53.3% | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 53.1% | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 53.6% | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 53.7% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 53.5% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 54.1% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 53.2% | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 53.2% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 53.6% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 53.5% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 53.3% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 53.1% | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 53.8% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 54.2% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 54.4% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 53.8% | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 54.5% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 55.1% | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 55.0% | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 55.1% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 56.0% | +1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 49.9% | 49.9% | 49.9% | 1 |
| 1970s | 44.1% | 41.2% | 49.2% | 3 |
| 1980s | 47.6% | 40.0% | 50.7% | 9 |
| 1990s | 50.2% | 48.3% | 51.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 52.5% | 50.9% | 53.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.6% | 53.1% | 54.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.9% | 53.8% | 56.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 141 French Polynesia 56.4% compare
- 142 Uzbekistan 56.2% compare
- 143 Suriname 56.1% compare
- 145 Costa Rica 55.9% compare
- 146 South Africa 55.6% compare
- 147 Pakistan 55.3% compare
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 15+) in Belgium?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Belgium was 56.0% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 56.0% in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 40.0% in 1981.
- How does Belgium rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Belgium ranks 144th out of 199 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 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 Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.