Flanders employment rate continued to rise in 2025

16 April 2026

The employment rate among 20- to 64-year-olds in Flanders reached 77.3 per cent in 2025, a slight increase from 76.9 per cent the previous year, according to new figures by Statistics Flanders. The rate has risen steadily since 1999, when it stood at 67.9 per cent.

Flanders' figures show significant variation across different groups. The region's employment rate among men stood at 80.4 per cent in 2025, compared to 74.3 per cent among women. Older workers remain considerably less active in the labour market: the rate for the 55-to-64 age group was 65.6 per cent.

Education level reveals another employment gap. The rate among low-educated people was 53.0 per cent, rising to 77.6 per cent for those with a mid-level qualification and 90.0 per cent for the highly educated.

Belgium’s employment rate climbs to 73.3 per cent

Belgium’s employment rate rose to 73.3 per cent in the second quarter of this year. Of the nearly 284,000 people who were unemployed in the second...

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Broken down by household situation, cohabiting partners with children had the highest employment rate at 87.9 per cent, while those living with their parents recorded the lowest at 56.5 per cent.

Differences also exist along lines of origin. People born outside the EU had an employment rate of 65.6 per cent, versus 79.0 per cent for those born in Belgium and 76.6 per cent for those born in another EU member state.

Above average

Flanders outperformed the other Belgian regions by a considerable margin. The Walloon Region recorded an employment rate of 67.9 per cent in 2025, while the Brussels Capital Region stood at 63.9 per cent. The national average was 72.8 per cent.

While complete figures for last year are not yet available, the region also outperformed the EU's average of 75.8 per cent recorded in 2024.

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