Second job

5.2% of both employed women and men have a second job

Work & training
5.2% of both employed women and men have a second job

About 260,000 persons had a second job in 2023. This is 5.2% of the working population. This percentage has stabilised in 2023 and is the same for men and women. Previously, men were more likely to have more than one job than women: in 2000, 4.3% of employed men had a second job versus 3% of employed women.

(a) Break in the results following a reform of the Labour Force Survey.

(b) Break in the results in 2021 due to the revision of the questionnaire and the change in the ILO definitions of unemployment and employment.

It is the 25-49-year-olds who most often have a second job with 5.7% of the working population. Furthermore, 3.9% of young people aged 15-24 have a second job, compared to 4.4% of people over 50.

The higher the education level, the higher the percentage of people with a second job. For instance, 6.5% of employed people with a high level of education have a second job, compared to 4.3% of medium-skilled people and 2.5% of those with a low level of education.

As in previous years, the majority of second jobs are performed on a self-employed basis (58.9%).

The most common sectors for second jobs are:

  • Human health and social work activities (13.7%)
  • Education (12.3%)
  • Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles (9.6%)

 

According to gender
Content

Number of people with a second job compared to the total number of employed people according to gender

In % 2021 (b) 2022 2023
Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women Total
Second job 4.6% 4.4% 4.5% 5.1% 5.3% 5.2% 5.2% 5.2% 5.2%
No second job 95.4% 95.6% 95.5% 94.9% 94.7% 94.8% 94.8% 94.8% 94.8%
Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
In number 2021 (b) 2022 2023
Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women Total
Second job 117,788 99,260 217,048 134,993 124,111 259,104 137,141 122,762 259,903
No second job 2,457,447 2,179,187 4,636,634 2,503,646 2,227,536 4,731,182 2,518,876 2,249,664 4,768,540
Total 2,575,235 2,278,447 4,853,682 2,638,639 2,351,647 4,990,286 2,656,017 2,372,426 5,028,443

(b) Break in the results in 2021 due to the revision of the questionnaire and the change in the ILO definitions of unemployment and employment.

Profile
Content

Profile of people with a second job, percentage compared to the total number of employed people

Gender 2018 2019 2020 2021 (b) 2022 2023
Men 3.8% 4.3% 4.4% 4.6% 5.1% 5.2%
Women 3.8% 4.3% 4.2% 4.4% 5.3% 5.2%
Age group 2018 2019 2020 2021 (b) 2022 2023
15-24 2.5% 2.5% 2.9% 3.3% 3.7% 3.9%
25-49 4.3% 4.9% 4.9% 5.0% 5.9% 5.7%
50 + 3.1% 3.4% 3.4% 3.6% 4.2% 4.4%
Level of education 2018 2019 2020 2021 (b) 2022 2023
Low 2.1% 2.3% 2.5% 2.6% 2.2% 2.5%
Medium 3.4% 3.7% 3.7% 3.9% 4.4% 4.3%
High 4.6% 5.5% 5.2% 5.3% 6.5% 6.5%

(b) Break in the results in 2021 due to the revision of the questionnaire and the change in the ILO definitions of unemployment and employment.

Status en sector
Content

Profile of people with a second job, breakdown in %

Professional status for the second job 2018 2019 2020 2021 (b) 2022 2023
Employee 31,3% 28,9% 27,9% 41,1% 40,9% 41,1%
Self-employed 50,8% 50,1% 52,6% 58,9% 59,0% 58,9%
Unknown 17,9% 21,0% 19,5% - - -
Economic sector of the second job 2018 2019 2020 2021 (b) 2022 2023
A Agriculture, forestry and fishing * * * * 2.1% 3.0%
B Mining and quarrying * * * * * *
C Manufacturing 3.4% 3.1% 3.5% 4.5% 4.5% 4.8%
D Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply * * * * * *
E Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities * * * * * *
F Construction 4.2% 4.2% 4.6% 5.6% 5.3% 6.6%
G Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles 7.2% 7.4% 8.3% 10.8% 9.4% 9.6%
H Transportation and storage * * * * * *
I Accommodation and food service activities 7.5% 7.9% 7.3% 6.6% 8.5% 9.4%
J Information and communication 2.8% 2.9% 2.9% 4.3% 7.1% 3.4%
K Financial and insurance activities * * * * * *
L Real estate activities * * * * * *
M Professional, scientific and technical activities 8.7% 6.3% 6.4% 9.1% 8.1% 8.6%
N Administrative and support service activities 6.4% 5.6% 6.0% 7.7% 8.2% 7.5%
O Public administration and defence; compulsory social security 3.2% 2.7% 3.1% 3.5% 3.6% 4.7%
P Education 10.6% 10.9% 9.8% 14.4% 13.2% 12.3%
Q Human health and social work activities 13.4% 13.8% 13.2% 16.6% 15.5% 13.7%
R Arts, entertainment and recreation 4.3% 4.0% 5.1% 6.3% 5.5% 6.4%
S Other service activities 5.1% 4.1% 4.0% 4.4% 5.8% 6.6%
T Activities of households as employers; undifferentiated goods- and services-producing activities of households for own use * * * * * *
U Activities of extraterritorial organisations and bodies * * * * * *
Unknown 18.2% 21.6% 20.0% 0.1% 0.0% 0.0%
Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

(b) Break in the results in 2021 due to the revision of the questionnaire and the change in the ILO definitions of unemployment and employment.

*too few observations

Labour force survey (LFS)

Purpose and short description

The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a socio-economic household sample survey. Its main objective is to classify the working age population (15 and older) into three groups (employed, unemployed and inactive persons) and to provide descriptive and explanatory data on every category. This survey is also carried out in the other EU Member States and is coordinated by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In Belgium, the LFS is organised by Statbel. The objective is to obtain comparable information at European level, in particular as regards employment and unemployment rates as defined by the International Labour Office (ILO), but also to collect and disseminate data that are otherwise not available, for example about the mobility of workers, the reasons for working part-time, the various forms of part-time employment, the occupation, the educational level of the working age population, ... .

Survey population

Members of private households aged 15 or older.

Sample frame

Demographic data from the National Register.

Data collection method and sample size

Data are collected through face-to-face interviews. Since 2017, there have been three (shorter) follow-up surveys to which households respond online or by telephone.

Households with only inactive persons older than 64 can also be interviewed by telephone.

Every year, around 47,000 households receive a letter asking them to take part in this survey.

Response rate

The response rate is above 75%.

Periodicity

Quarterly

Release calendar

Results availability: around 3 months after the end of the reference period.

Forms

Definitions

Employed population (ILO): The employed persons are persons aged 15 or older who during the reference week performed work during at least one hour for wage or salary or for profit; or those who had a job but who were temporarily not at work during the reference period. The family workers are also included. The employed persons are divided into three groups according to their professional situation:

Paid employment: All persons aged 15 or older who, during the reference week, performed work during at least one hour for wage or salary in cash or in kind (with or without formal contract), or who were temporarily not at work (due to sickness, maternity leave, holidays, social conflicts, bad weather or for other reasons) and had a formal attachment to their job.

Self-employment: All persons who do not work for an employer and who performed work during at least one hour for profit during the reference week or were temporarily not at work. This category comprises self-employed workers (with no staff), employers (with staff) and unpaid helpers.

Low-skilled people are people who have at best a lower secondary education diploma. Medium-skilled people have obtained an upper secondary education diploma, but no higher education diploma. High-skilled people have a higher education diploma.

Metadata

  • Employment, unemployment, labour market (NL-FR)
  • Labour force survey (LFS) (NL-FR)

Survey methodology

Regulations

  • Royal Decree of 10 January 1999 on the organisation of a labour force sample survey (NL-FR)
  • Royal decree amending the royal decree of 10 January 1999 on the organisation of a labour force sample survey (NL-FR)