Belgium — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Belgium, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Belgium was 54.27% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 54.58% in 2022. The lowest was 48.26% in 1990 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.34% per year.
Belgium ranks 144 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 77%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 60.12%, so Belgium sits below it. It peaked in 2022 and has fallen 1% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 2%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 41 of 49 economies; Croatia (52.14%) is just below it.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 167th of 187 in 1990 → 151st of 187 in 2000 → 141st of 187 in 2010 → 138th of 187 in 2020 → 142nd of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 54.27% | -0.3 pp |
| 2024 | 54.54% | +0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 54.41% | -0.2 pp |
| 2022 | 54.58% | +0.5 pp |
| 2021 | 54.05% | +0.7 pp |
| 2020 | 53.38% | -0.5 pp |
| 2019 | 53.9% | +0.2 pp |
| 2018 | 53.67% | +0.3 pp |
| 2017 | 53.34% | +0.2 pp |
| 2016 | 53.16% | -0.2 pp |
| 2015 | 53.37% | -0.2 pp |
| 2014 | 53.58% | -0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 53.62% | +0.3 pp |
| 2012 | 53.33% | +0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 53.3% | -0.9 pp |
| 2010 | 54.16% | +0.6 pp |
| 2009 | 53.51% | -0.2 pp |
| 2008 | 53.7% | +0.0 pp |
| 2007 | 53.66% | +0.5 pp |
| 2006 | 53.11% | -0.2 pp |
| 2005 | 53.29% | +1.3 pp |
| 2004 | 51.95% | +0.7 pp |
| 2003 | 51.26% | +0.2 pp |
| 2002 | 51.1% | +0.3 pp |
| 2001 | 50.79% | -1.5 pp |
| 2000 | 52.24% | +0.4 pp |
| 1999 | 51.87% | +1.1 pp |
| 1998 | 50.74% | +0.3 pp |
| 1997 | 50.49% | +0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 50.4% | -0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 50.44% | +0.2 pp |
| 1994 | 50.23% | +0.6 pp |
| 1993 | 49.62% | +0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 49.52% | +0.3 pp |
| 1991 | 49.19% | +0.9 pp |
| 1990 | 48.26% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Belgium’s Labor participation in 1991?
49.19% (1991). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of population ages 15+, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Belgium’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +12.5% in total — about 0.3% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 54.27%; 2024: 54.54%; 2023: 54.41%; 2022: 54.58%; 2021: 54.05%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.TLF.CACT.ZS — Labor Force Participation Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.