Unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group in Belgium
Belgium: Unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group was 7.65 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group in Belgium, 1989–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group in Belgium stood at 7.65 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup.
That represents a change of up 7.1% on the previous year and down 25.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group in Belgium peaked at 10.29 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup in 1994 and was at its lowest, 6.36 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup, in 2019.
That places Belgium 12th out of 37 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 31 years of available data.
Unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group in Belgium, year by year
| Year | Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 9.37 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | — |
| 1991 | 7.88 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -16.0% |
| 1992 | 8.63 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +9.5% |
| 1994 | 10.29 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +19.3% |
| 1995 | 10.16 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 7.71 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -24.1% |
| 2001 | 7.55 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 8.41 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +11.5% |
| 2003 | 9.43 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +12.1% |
| 2004 | 9.69 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 9.61 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 9.06 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -5.7% |
| 2007 | 8.81 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 8.03 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -8.9% |
| 2009 | 9.36 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +16.6% |
| 2010 | 9.79 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +4.6% |
| 2011 | 8.69 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -11.2% |
| 2012 | 9.48 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +9.2% |
| 2013 | 9.81 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +3.4% |
| 2014 | 10.22 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 10.22 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 9.71 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -4.9% |
| 2017 | 8.61 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -11.3% |
| 2018 | 7.07 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -17.9% |
| 2019 | 6.36 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -10.0% |
| 2020 | 6.83 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +7.5% |
| 2021 | 7.5 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +9.7% |
| 2022 | 6.57 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | -12.3% |
| 2023 | 7.02 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +6.8% |
| 2024 | 7.14 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +1.8% |
| 2025 | 7.65 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | +7.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 9.37 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 9.37 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 9.37 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 1 |
| 1990s | 9.24 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 7.88 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 10.29 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 4 |
| 2000s | 8.77 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 7.55 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 9.69 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 10 |
| 2010s | 9 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 6.36 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 10.22 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.12 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 6.57 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 7.65 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 9 France 8.52 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup compare
- 10 Denmark 8.03 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup compare
- 11 Costa Rica 7.99 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup compare
- 13 Portugal 7.53 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup compare
- 14 Canada 7.08 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup compare
- 15 Romania 6.98 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup 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 unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group in Belgium?
- Unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group in Belgium was 7.65 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 10.29 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup in 1994.
- What is the lowest unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.36 Percentage of labour force in the same subgroup in 2019.
- How does Belgium rank for unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group?
- Belgium ranks 12th out of 37 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Unemployment rates of adults, by educational attainment, age group and gender. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This dataset contains data on unemployment rates by educational attainment level, age group and gender. The default table displays 2025 data (or the latest available year) on the unemployment rates of 25-64 year-olds with below upper secondary, upper secondary or post-secondary non-tertiary, or tertiary attainment. The selection can be changed to display data by more detailed educational attainment level, by programme orientation, by gender and by age group. Filter the time period to display historical data. Data for the latest available year are preliminary. Final data will be released on September 29, 2026. For more information, please consult the Education at a Glance web page and the OECD Handbook for Internationally Comparative Education Statistics: Concepts, Standards, Definitions and Classifications.