Persons outside the labour force by citizenship in Belgium

Belgium: Persons outside the labour force by citizenship was 3,257 Thousand persons in 2025. ▬ Flat

Latest (2025)
3,257 Thousand persons
Change on year
down 2.4%
World rank
11th
of 45 countries
All-time high
3,491 Thousand persons
in 1995
All-time low
3,203 Thousand persons
in 2007
Years of data
31
1995–2025

Persons outside the labour force by citizenship in Belgium, 1995–2025

01.0k2.0k3.0k1995201020251995: 3.5k Thousand persons1996: 3.5k Thousand persons1997: 3.5k Thousand persons1998: 3.4k Thousand persons1999: 3.3k Thousand persons2000: 3.3k Thousand persons2001: 3.4k Thousand persons2002: 3.4k Thousand persons2003: 3.4k Thousand persons2004: 3.3k Thousand persons2005: 3.2k Thousand persons2006: 3.2k Thousand persons2007: 3.2k Thousand persons2008: 3.2k Thousand persons2009: 3.2k Thousand persons2010: 3.2k Thousand persons2011: 3.3k Thousand persons2012: 3.3k Thousand persons2013: 3.3k Thousand persons2014: 3.3k Thousand persons2015: 3.4k Thousand persons2016: 3.4k Thousand persons2017: 3.4k Thousand persons2018: 3.4k Thousand persons2019: 3.4k Thousand persons2020: 3.4k Thousand persons2021: 3.4k Thousand persons2022: 3.3k Thousand persons2023: 3.3k Thousand persons2024: 3.3k Thousand persons2025: 3.3k Thousand persons

Source: Eurostat. Measured in Thousand persons.

Analysis

In 2025, persons outside the labour force by citizenship in Belgium stood at 3,257 Thousand persons.

That represents a change of down 2.4% on the previous year and down 2.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, persons outside the labour force by citizenship in Belgium peaked at 3,491 Thousand persons in 1995 and was at its lowest, 3,203 Thousand persons, in 2007.

That places Belgium 11th out of 45 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.

Persons outside the labour force by citizenship in Belgium, year by year

Annual values for Persons outside the labour force by citizenship in Belgium, 1995 to 2025.
Year Thousand persons Change
1995 3,491 Thousand persons —
1996 3,489 Thousand persons -0.1%
1997 3,472 Thousand persons -0.5%
1998 3,436 Thousand persons -1.0%
1999 3,332 Thousand persons -3.0%
2000 3,294 Thousand persons -1.1%
2001 3,398 Thousand persons +3.2%
2002 3,379 Thousand persons -0.6%
2003 3,374 Thousand persons -0.1%
2004 3,312 Thousand persons -1.9%
2005 3,224 Thousand persons -2.6%
2006 3,240 Thousand persons +0.5%
2007 3,203 Thousand persons -1.1%
2008 3,214 Thousand persons +0.4%
2009 3,247 Thousand persons +1.0%
2010 3,216 Thousand persons -1.0%
2011 3,316 Thousand persons +3.1%
2012 3,329 Thousand persons +0.4%
2013 3,312 Thousand persons -0.5%
2014 3,319 Thousand persons +0.2%
2015 3,355 Thousand persons +1.1%
2016 3,392 Thousand persons +1.1%
2017 3,376 Thousand persons -0.5%
2018 3,366 Thousand persons -0.3%
2019 3,360 Thousand persons -0.2%
2020 3,425 Thousand persons +1.9%
2021 3,362 Thousand persons -1.8%
2022 3,318 Thousand persons -1.3%
2023 3,342 Thousand persons +0.7%
2024 3,336 Thousand persons -0.2%
2025 3,257 Thousand persons -2.4%

Belgium compared with similar countries

  • Belgium's 3,257 Thousand persons is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1,718 Thousand persons, 1.9× the median. (34 countries reporting)
  • Belgium's 3,257 Thousand persons is above the median for high income countries, which is 1,789 Thousand persons, 1.8× the median. (31 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 3,444 Thousand persons 3,332 Thousand persons 3,491 Thousand persons 5
2000s 3,289 Thousand persons 3,203 Thousand persons 3,398 Thousand persons 10
2010s 3,334 Thousand persons 3,216 Thousand persons 3,392 Thousand persons 10
2020s 3,340 Thousand persons 3,257 Thousand persons 3,425 Thousand persons 6

Countries ranked near Belgium

  1. 8 Poland 9,848 Thousand persons compare
  2. 8 Poland 9,848 Thousand persons compare
  3. 10 Romania 6,176 Thousand persons compare
  4. 12 Netherlands 3,197 Thousand persons compare
  5. 12 Netherlands 3,197 Thousand persons compare
  6. 14 Greece 2,998 Thousand persons compare

See the full ranking of 47 places →

More work & labour data for Belgium

All data for Belgium →

Frequently asked questions

What is persons outside the labour force by citizenship in Belgium?
Persons outside the labour force by citizenship in Belgium was 3,257 Thousand persons in 2025, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest persons outside the labour force by citizenship recorded in Belgium?
The highest recorded value was 3,491 Thousand persons in 1995.
What is the lowest persons outside the labour force by citizenship recorded in Belgium?
The lowest recorded value was 3,203 Thousand persons in 2007.
How does Belgium rank for persons outside the labour force by citizenship?
Belgium ranks 11th out of 45 countries with data for 2025.
Is persons outside the labour force by citizenship rising or falling in Belgium?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Belgium data come from?
The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Persons outside the labour force by citizenship. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Persons outside the labour force by citizenship in Belgium. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 25 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/persons-outside-the-labour-force-by-citizenship/belgium/

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About this data

Indicator
Persons outside the labour force by citizenship
Unit
Thousand persons
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
47 places, 1,284 data points, 1995–2025
Last refreshed