Labour indicators rates - Regions — Labour force participation rate in Belgium
Belgium: Labour indicators rates - Regions — Labour force participation rate was -8.6 Percentage points in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labour indicators rates - Regions — Labour force participation rate in Belgium, 1999–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage points.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labour indicators rates - regions — labour force participation rate in Belgium is -8.6 Percentage points, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 27 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.4% on the previous year and up 21.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labour indicators rates - regions — labour force participation rate in Belgium peaked at -8.6 Percentage points in 2025 and was at its lowest, -18.6 Percentage points, in 2001.
That places Belgium 10th out of 43 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | -18 Percentage points | -18 Percentage points | -18 Percentage points | 1 |
| 2000s | -16.06 Percentage points | -18.6 Percentage points | -13.5 Percentage points | 10 |
| 2010s | -11.25 Percentage points | -13.1 Percentage points | -9.3 Percentage points | 10 |
| 2020s | -8.87 Percentage points | -9.2 Percentage points | -8.6 Percentage points | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More work & labour data for Belgium
- 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)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, per unit of GDP 0 1000 No per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, per capita 0.001 1000 No per person (2025)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, per square kilometre 0.3783 1000 No per square kilometre (2023)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labour indicators rates - regions — labour force participation rate in Belgium?
- Labour indicators rates - regions — labour force participation rate in Belgium was -8.6 Percentage points in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest labour indicators rates - regions — labour force participation rate recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was -8.6 Percentage points in 2025.
- What is the lowest labour indicators rates - regions — labour force participation rate recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was -18.6 Percentage points in 2001.
- How does Belgium rank for labour indicators rates - regions — labour force participation rate?
- Belgium ranks 10th out of 43 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labour indicators rates - regions — labour force participation rate rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Labour indicators rates - Regions — Labour force participation rate, gender difference. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 27 observations, free to reuse under OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
<p>This dataset provides indicators on participation rate, employment to population ratio and unemployment rate, in large regions (TL2) and, where available, in small regions (TL3).</p> <p><strong>Data definition and source</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The labour force status is presented by sex, for 15-64 year-olds and 15+ year-olds age ranges, the latter having less country coverage. Data is based on a labour force survey using ILO guidelines and collected from Eurostat (reg_lmk) for EU countries and via delegates of the OECD Working Party on Territorial Indicators (WPTI), as well as from national statistical offices' websites.</p> <p><strong>Definition of regions</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Regions are subnational units below national boundaries. OECD countries have two regional levels: large regions (territorial level 2 or TL2) and small regions (territorial level 3 or TL3). For more information, see the OECD Territorial grid <a href="https://webfs-cfe.oecd.org/files/.Stat/region/OECD_territorial-grid_TL2024.pdf">(pdf)</a> and the OECD Territorial Correspondence Table <a href="https://webfs-cfe.oecd.org/files/.Stat/region/OECD%20Territorial%20correspondence%20-%20TL2024c.xlsx">(xlsx)</a>. </p> <p><strong>Cite this dataset</strong></p> <p>OECD Regions, Cities and Local Areas database <a href="http://oe.cd/geostats">http://oe.cd/geostats</a>.</p> <p><strong>Further information</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://regions-cities-atlas.oecd.org/">OECD Regions and Cities Statistical Atlas</a> </li> <li><a href="https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-regions-and-cities-at-a-glance-2024_f42db3bf-en.html">OECD Regions and Cities at a Glance</a></li> </ul> <p>For questions and/or comments, please email <a href="mailto:RegionStat@oecd.org">RegionStat@oecd.org</a>.</p>