In the fourth quarter of 2022, 72.3% of people aged 20-64 in Belgium were in work, compared to 72.1% in the third quarter of 2022 and 71.6% in the fourth quarter of 2021. This is what emerged from the new quarterly results of Statbel, based on the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The ILO unemployment rate of people aged 15-64 has stabilised in the fourth quarter of 2022 at 5.7%. The annual average stands at 5.6%.
With the publication of the results of the 4th quarter, the annual results are also known. Some initial results are therefore also released. Additional annual figures will be published on 29 March.
On average, over the 4 quarters of 2022, the employment rate amounts to 71.9%, compared to 70.6% in 2021. With an employment rate of 76.7%, Flanders registers the best results. Wallonia and Brussels follow well behind with an employment rate of 65.7% and 65.2% respectively. The gap between the employment rate in Brussels and Wallonia is almost closed in 2022.
The ILO unemployment rate has stabilised at 5.7% in the fourth quarter of 2022
In the fourth quarter of 2022, the ILO unemployment rate of people aged 15-64 is 5.7%, which is the same figure as in the previous two quarters, and a decrease of 0.1 percentage points compared to the fourth quarter of 2021 (5.8%).
For the whole year 2022, the ILO unemployment rate of people aged 15-64 is 5.6%, which is a sharp decrease compared to 2021 (6.3%). The unemployment rate decreases from 6.7% to 5.9% among men and from 5.9% to 5.3% among women.
The unemployment rate of people aged 15-64 has decreased between 2021 and 2022 in the three regions, and amounts in 2022 to 3.2% in Flanders, 8.4% in Wallonia and 11.5% in Brussels.
- The first results for the 4th quarter 2022.
- The first results for the year 2022.
Methodological note
The reported figures are estimations based on a sample survey. They are based on an effective sample of about 26,700 persons (respondents) between 15 and 89 years old in the fourth quarter of 2022. This represents about 13,400 respondents in Flanders, 9,900 in Wallonia and 3,400 in Brussels. For the year 2022, this is an effective sample of about 103,500 persons aged 15 to 89. This represents about 50,900 respondents in Flanders, 38,900 in Wallonia and 13,700 in Brussels.
The Labour Force Survey is a continuous survey, which means that the sample is evenly spread over the 52 (reference) weeks of the year. The selected respondents answer a questionnaire mainly related to their activity in the course of a given reference week. The data presented here reflect the averages for the quarter or the year.
In spite of the large sample on which the figures are based, one has to take into account (as with all results based on a sample) a certain degree of uncertainty regarding the estimated figures. In order to increase readability, reference is not always made to whether or not certain evolutions are significant. However, it should be borne in mind that small evolutions from one quarter to another are usually not significant. Therefore, we recommend evaluating the trends over several quarters, based on the reasoning that certain random sampling fluctuations are less visible in this way.
Definitions
The survey is harmonised at European level. The definitions regarding employment and unemployment that are mentioned (see tab ‘documents’) are those of the International Labour Office (ILO) to allow international comparison.
The employment rate of people aged 20-64 is the share of persons employed in the total population aged 20 to 64.
The unemployment rate of people aged 15-64 is the share of unemployed people in the labour force (employed + unemployed) aged 15 to 64.
Low-skilled people are people who have at most a lower secondary education diploma. Medium-skilled people are people who obtained a diploma of upper secondary education but not of higher education. Highly-skilled people obtained a diploma of higher education.