How much the unemployment rate has fallen in Belgium, analysis

For August 2023, the authorities in Brussels, Belgium, noted a decrease in the unemployment rate to 15%, which is 0.5% better than last year. This was announced by the regional employment and employment bureau Actiris. This phenomenon is an exception for the summer season, when finding a job for local residents or migrants is problematic. We will try to sort this situation out.

How are things going by age category?

Job loss among young people under 25 increased by 7% to a record 24.2% in 2023. This is due to the requirements of employers for the experience and professional skills of applicants. The latter is becoming a global problem for Belgium and may further affect the country’s youth unemployment rate.

In August 2023, 7% more young job seekers were looking for suitable vacancies than last year. Employers placed 25.3% fewer vacancies than last year. Conclusion: despite the positive trends in the economy, the recession in the country continues.

The most stable situation is among middle-aged and older local residents. They are less likely to be laid off and adapt better to new working conditions. However, the problem of this category is the problem of mastering new skills and professional growth.

Important: despite this level of unemployment in Belgium, social protection of the population is able to offset temporary financial losses of people, benefits are paid on time.

Unemployment among immigrants

New residents of Belgium who have official immigrant status or are under the protection of the country also have difficulty finding work. However, the specificity of this segment of the population lies in low qualifications. Vacancies in low-paid and unskilled professions still exceed the demand among employers.

Recently, the following jobs have become the most in demand:

• General builders, general workers.
• Storekeepers, pickers.
• Nannies and caregivers.

The salary level for such vacancies does not exceed 12 Euro per hour. However, this is much more than the official benefit for unemployed immigrants in Belgium. Therefore, the refusal rate for this category of citizens of the country during an interview is low. According to analysts from the Actiris agency, this was the reason for the official decrease in unemployment in the Brussels region in August 2023.