Labor force participation rate in Belgium
Belgium: Labor force participation rate was 54.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate in Belgium, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate in Belgium stood at 54.3%.
The figure is down 0.5% on the previous year and up 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Belgium peaked at 54.6% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 48.3%, in 1990.
That places Belgium 143rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 50.1% | 48.3% | 51.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 52.5% | 50.8% | 53.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.5% | 53.2% | 54.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.2% | 53.4% | 54.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More work & labour data for Belgium
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 54.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 59.0% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 84.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 49.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 71.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 74.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 67.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Belgium?
- Labor force participation rate in Belgium was 54.3% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 54.6% in 2022.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.3% in 1990.
- How does Belgium rank for labor force participation rate?
- Belgium ranks 143rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).