LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Belgium
Belgium: LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force was 7.37 in 2024. ▼ Falling
LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Belgium, 1998–2024
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
The most recent figure for lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Belgium is 7.37, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.4% on the previous year and down 31.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Belgium peaked at 11.34 in 1998 and was at its lowest, 7.06, in 2022.
Belgium ranks 53rd of 89 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 27 years of available data.
LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Belgium, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 11.34 | — |
| 1999 | 10.4 | -8.3% |
| 2000 | 7.98 | -23.3% |
| 2001 | 8.08 | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 8.55 | +5.9% |
| 2003 | 9.58 | +12.0% |
| 2004 | 8.96 | -6.5% |
| 2005 | 10 | +11.6% |
| 2006 | 9.7 | -3.0% |
| 2007 | 8.93 | -7.9% |
| 2008 | 8.2 | -8.2% |
| 2009 | 9.23 | +12.6% |
| 2010 | 9.67 | +4.8% |
| 2011 | 9.72 | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 9.94 | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 10.88 | +9.5% |
| 2014 | 10.76 | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 10.45 | -2.9% |
| 2016 | 9.71 | -7.0% |
| 2017 | 8.84 | -9.0% |
| 2018 | 7.73 | -12.5% |
| 2019 | 7.2 | -6.9% |
| 2020 | 7.76 | +7.8% |
| 2021 | 8.12 | +4.7% |
| 2022 | 7.06 | -13.0% |
| 2023 | 7.27 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 7.37 | +1.4% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 7.37 is below the median for high income countries, which is 7.45, 99% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 7.37 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 8.71, 85% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10.87 | 10.4 | 11.34 | 2 |
| 2000s | 8.92 | 7.98 | 10 | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.49 | 7.2 | 10.88 | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.52 | 7.06 | 8.12 | 5 |
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 lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Belgium?
- Lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force in Belgium was 7.37 in 2024, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 11.34 in 1998.
- What is the lowest lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.06 in 2022.
- How does Belgium rank for lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force?
- Belgium ranks 53rd out of 89 countries with data for 2024.
- Is lu3: combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of LU3: Combined rate of unemployment and potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 27 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. For time series comparability, it includes countries that have implemented the 19th ICLS standards, for which data are also available in the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database. LU3 represents the share of the extended labour force that are in unemployment or the potential labour force. Data disaggregated by level of education are provided on the highest level of education completed, classified according to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED). Data may have been regrouped from national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ISCED. For more information, refer to the Education and Mismatch Indicators (EMI) database description.