Unemployment rate in Belgium
Belgium: Unemployment rate was 5.91 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
5.91
Change on year
up 3.6%
World rank
80th
of 186 countries
All-time high
9.64
in 1994
All-time low
5.36
in 2019
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment rate in Belgium, 1991–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rate in Belgium is 5.91, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 3.6% on the previous year and down 30.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Belgium peaked at 9.64 in 1994 and was at its lowest, 5.36, in 2019.
That places Belgium 80th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in Belgium, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 6.98 | — |
| 1992 | 6.7 | -4.0% |
| 1993 | 8.08 | +20.5% |
| 1994 | 9.64 | +19.4% |
| 1995 | 9.34 | -3.2% |
| 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 | 5.7 | +2.8% |
| 2025 | 5.91 | +3.6% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 5.91 is above the median for high income countries, which is 5.04, 1.2× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 5.91 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.56, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.57 | 6.7 | 9.64 | 9 |
| 2000s | 7.37 | 6.18 | 8.44 | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.46 | 5.36 | 8.52 | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.75 | 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 in Belgium?
- Unemployment rate in Belgium was 5.91 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 9.64 in 1994.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.36 in 2019.
- How does Belgium rank for unemployment rate?
- Belgium ranks 80th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).