Persons outside the labour force in Belgium
Belgium: Persons outside the labour force was 4,447 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Persons outside the labour force in Belgium, 2004–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2025, persons outside the labour force in Belgium stood at 4,447.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.5% on the previous year and up 8.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, persons outside the labour force in Belgium peaked at 4,470 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3,550, in 2005.
That places Belgium 20th out of 57 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Persons outside the labour force in Belgium, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 3,607 | — |
| 2005 | 3,550 | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 3,719 | +4.8% |
| 2007 | 3,758 | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 3,821 | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 3,818 | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 3,929 | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 3,979 | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 4,000 | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 4,008 | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 3,992 | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 4,119 | +3.2% |
| 2016 | 4,234 | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 4,187 | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 4,233 | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 4,256 | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 4,237 | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 4,244 | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 4,328 | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 4,373 | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 4,470 | +2.2% |
| 2025 | 4,447 | -0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3,712 | 3,550 | 3,821 | 6 |
| 2010s | 4,094 | 3,929 | 4,256 | 10 |
| 2020s | 4,350 | 4,237 | 4,470 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 17 Netherlands 6,106 compare
- 18 Côte d'Ivoire 5,802 compare
- 19 Tanzania, United Republic of 5,487 compare
- 21 Zambia 4,409 compare
- 22 Greece 3,972 compare
- 23 Burkina Faso 3,834 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 persons outside the labour force in Belgium?
- Persons outside the labour force in Belgium was 4,447 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest persons outside the labour force recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 4,470 in 2024.
- What is the lowest persons outside the labour force recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,550 in 2005.
- How does Belgium rank for persons outside the labour force?
- Belgium ranks 20th out of 57 countries with data for 2025.
- Is persons outside the labour force rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Persons outside the labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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. Persons outside the labour force comprise all persons of working age who, during the specified reference period, were not in the labour force (that is, were not employed or unemployed). The term disability, as defined in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), is used as an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. For measurement purposes, a person with disability is defined as a person who is limited in the kind or amount of activities that he or she can do because of ongoing difficulties due to a long-term physical condition, mental condition or health problem. For more information, refer to the Disability Labour Market Indicators (DLMI) database description.