Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Belgium
Belgium: Share of workers in vulnerable employment was 11.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Belgium, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Belgium stood at 11.0%. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 6.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Belgium peaked at 14.8% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 11.0%, in 2025.
That places Belgium 144th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 14.5% | 14.1% | 14.8% | 9 |
| 2000s | 12.0% | 11.2% | 13.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.4% | 11.2% | 11.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.4% | 11.0% | 12.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 141 Guam 11.8% compare
- 142 South Africa 11.7% compare
- 143 United Kingdom 11.5% compare
- 145 Slovenia 10.6% compare
- 146 Lithuania 10.4% compare
- 147 Puerto Rico 10.3% compare
More work & labour data for Belgium
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 54.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 59.0% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 84.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 49.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 71.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 74.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 67.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers in vulnerable employment in Belgium?
- Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Belgium was 11.0% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 14.8% in 1992.
- What is the lowest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.0% in 2025.
- How does Belgium rank for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- Belgium ranks 144th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers in vulnerable employment rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of workers in vulnerable employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of employed population who are working as independent own-account workers (self-employed without staff), or contributing family workers (self-employed in a household business or farm).