Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Belgium

Belgium: Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) was 96.52 in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
96.52
Change on year
down 2.6%
World rank
50th
of 88 countries
All-time high
138.69
in 2011
All-time low
63.51
in 2008
Years of data
27
1998–2024

Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Belgium, 1998–2024

0501001501998201120241998: 96.91999: 85.42000: 66.62001: 88.92002: 78.32003: 92.32004: 78.42005: 802006: 74.52007: 76.62008: 63.52009: 69.82010: 74.82011: 138.72012: 130.12013: 136.52014: 124.32015: 109.12016: 103.72017: 95.52018: 98.22019: 100.82020: 121.92021: 105.72022: 84.92023: 99.12024: 96.5

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

The most recent figure for potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Belgium is 96.52, measured in 2024.

The figure is down 2.6% on the previous year and down 22.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Belgium peaked at 138.69 in 2011 and was at its lowest, 63.51, in 2008.

That places Belgium 50th out of 88 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.

Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Belgium, year by year

Annual values for Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+) in Belgium, 1998 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1998 96.86
1999 85.37 -11.9%
2000 66.64 -21.9%
2001 88.92 +33.4%
2002 78.29 -12.0%
2003 92.33 +17.9%
2004 78.42 -15.1%
2005 80.04 +2.1%
2006 74.55 -6.9%
2007 76.56 +2.7%
2008 63.51 -17.0%
2009 69.79 +9.9%
2010 74.83 +7.2%
2011 138.69 +85.3%
2012 130.07 -6.2%
2013 136.5 +4.9%
2014 124.25 -9.0%
2015 109.06 -12.2%
2016 103.7 -4.9%
2017 95.51 -7.9%
2018 98.2 +2.8%
2019 100.76 +2.6%
2020 121.91 +21.0%
2021 105.72 -13.3%
2022 84.93 -19.7%
2023 99.11 +16.7%
2024 96.52 -2.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 91.12 85.37 96.86 2
2000s 76.91 63.51 92.33 10
2010s 111.16 74.83 138.69 10
2020s 101.64 84.93 121.91 5

Countries ranked near Belgium

  1. 47 Greece 105.91 compare
  2. 48 Norway 100.92 compare
  3. 49 Denmark 96.77 compare
  4. 51 Thailand 92.49 compare
  5. 52 Costa Rica 91.72 compare
  6. 53 Bolivia 82.37 compare

See the full ranking of 88 places →

More work & labour data for Belgium

All data for Belgium →

Frequently asked questions

What is potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Belgium?
Potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Belgium was 96.52 in 2024, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in Belgium?
The highest recorded value was 138.69 in 2011.
What is the lowest potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in Belgium?
The lowest recorded value was 63.51 in 2008.
How does Belgium rank for potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13)?
Belgium ranks 50th out of 88 countries with data for 2024.
Is potential labour force (previous ilo definition - icls13) rising or falling in Belgium?
Over the last ten years it is down 22.3%. 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 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).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Belgium. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 28 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/potential-labour-force-previous-ilo-definition-icls13-15/belgium/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/potential-labour-force-previous-ilo-definition-icls13-15/belgium/">Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Belgium</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Potential labour force (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
88 places, 1,493 data points, 1987–2025
Last refreshed

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. The potential labour force refers to persons not in employment who express an interest in this form of work but for whom existing conditions limit their active job search and/or their availability. This group is used to calculate alternative measures of labour underutilization. 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.