Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Belgium
Belgium: Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) was 6.18 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Belgium, 1995–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Belgium stood at 6.18.
That represents a change of up 8.4% on the previous year and down 27.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Belgium peaked at 9.48 in 1996 and was at its lowest, 5.36, in 2019.
Belgium ranks 34th of 78 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 31 years of available data.
Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in Belgium, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 9.34 | — |
| 1996 | 9.48 | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 8.95 | -5.6% |
| 1998 | 9.32 | +4.2% |
| 1999 | 8.65 | -7.2% |
| 2000 | 6.59 | -23.9% |
| 2001 | 6.18 | -6.2% |
| 2002 | 6.91 | +11.8% |
| 2003 | 7.68 | +11.1% |
| 2004 | 7.36 | -4.1% |
| 2005 | 8.44 | +14.6% |
| 2006 | 8.25 | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 7.46 | -9.5% |
| 2008 | 6.98 | -6.5% |
| 2009 | 7.91 | +13.4% |
| 2010 | 8.29 | +4.9% |
| 2011 | 7.14 | -13.9% |
| 2012 | 7.54 | +5.6% |
| 2013 | 8.43 | +11.7% |
| 2014 | 8.52 | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 8.48 | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 7.83 | -7.7% |
| 2017 | 7.09 | -9.5% |
| 2018 | 5.94 | -16.2% |
| 2019 | 5.36 | -9.7% |
| 2020 | 5.54 | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 6.25 | +12.7% |
| 2022 | 5.57 | -10.9% |
| 2023 | 5.55 | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 5.71 | +2.9% |
| 2025 | 6.18 | +8.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.15 | 8.65 | 9.48 | 5 |
| 2000s | 7.37 | 6.18 | 8.44 | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.46 | 5.36 | 8.52 | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.8 | 5.54 | 6.25 | 6 |
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 unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Belgium?
- Unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) in Belgium was 6.18 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 9.48 in 1996.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.36 in 2019.
- How does Belgium rank for unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13)?
- Belgium ranks 34th out of 78 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate (previous ilo definition - icls13) rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.1%. 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 Unemployment rate (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 31 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
The unemployment rate conveys the number of persons who are unemployed as a percent of the labour force (i.e., the employed plus the unemployed). The unemployed comprise all persons of working age who were: a) without work during the reference period, i.e. were not in paid employment or self-employment; b) currently available for work, i.e. were available for paid employment or self-employment during the reference period; and c) seeking work, i.e. had taken specific steps in a specified recent period to seek paid employment or self-employment. For more information, refer to the International Labour Migration Statistics (ILMS) database description.