🇧🇪 Exclusive Research Report · April 2026
Belgium's Hiring Crisis &
The Road to 80%
The definitive data-driven analysis of Belgium's 2026 labour market — from record vacancies to AI talent gaps, salary benchmarks to regional divides.
📊
At a Glance: Key 2026 Headlines72.8%
National Employment Rate (20–64)
Up from 72.3% in 2024 · 4.94M people in work
145,896
Job Vacancies (Q4 2025)
Down from 171,946 in Q4 2024 · Lowest since 2018
+14%
Net Employment Outlook Q1 2026
4th consecutive drop · Lowest since Q2 2021
6.2%
ILO Unemployment Rate 2025
Up from 5.8% in 2024 · Youth: 14.5%
1.3M
Self-Employed Workers (2024)
Record high · +1.61% YoY · 70%+ won't return to employment
530K
Additional Workers Needed
To meet 80% employment target by 2029
🗺️
Regional Employment Divide📌 Target: 80% by 2029 · Source: Statbel LFS 2025
⚡ Unemployment by Region
Flanders: 4.3% — Near full employment
Wallonia: 7.9% — Near double Flanders
Brussels: 12.7% — Triple Flanders rate
Youth unemployment (15–24) nationally: 14.5%
Low-skilled unemployment: 14.5%
High-skilled unemployment: 3.4%
Wallonia: 7.9% — Near double Flanders
Brussels: 12.7% — Triple Flanders rate
Youth unemployment (15–24) nationally: 14.5%
Low-skilled unemployment: 14.5%
High-skilled unemployment: 3.4%
👴 Older Worker Milestone
Employment rate for ages 55–64 reached 61.5% in 2025 — more than doubled since 2000 (26.3%). Legal retirement age raised to 66 in 2025.
🔍
The Vacancy Market: Cooling but Tight3.50%
Vacancy Rate Q4 2025
Down from 4.12% in Q4 2024
15.97%
Temp Position Vacancy Rate
vs 3.12% for permanent roles
5.83%
Small Enterprise Vacancy Rate
vs 3.16% for large/medium firms
86.49%
Vacancies for Permanent Roles
Stable employer confidence signal
Vacancy Distribution by Region (Q4 2025)
- Flanders
- Wallonia
- Brussels
📈
Q1 2026 Sector Hiring Outlook (ManpowerGroup)🏨 Hospitality +46%
💻 Tech & IT Services +33%
🔬 Prof. & Scientific +31%
🚚 Trade & Logistics +28%
📡 IT & Telecom +17%
💰 Finance & Insurance +11%
⚡ Utilities & Resources +10%
🏭 Manufacturing +9%
🏥 Public/Health/Social 0%
🏗️ Construction & Real Estate –1%
⚠️ Context: Belgium vs Europe
Belgium's +14% outlook is 5 points below the European average (+19%) and 10 points below the global average (+24%). Belgium ranks 15th of 19 European countries surveyed. Netherlands: +36% · Germany: +24% · France: +21% · Belgium: +14% · UK: +13%
💶
Wages, Compensation & Labour Costs| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Avg. Monthly Gross Salary 2026 | €4,150 |
| Median Monthly Salary | €3,728 |
| Brussels Premium over National Avg | +16% |
| National Min. Wage (GAMMI) Jan 2026 | €2,154/mo |
| Min. Wage Hourly Rate | €13.08/hr |
| % of Workforce at Min. Wage | ~3% |
| Gender Pay Gap (Hourly, 2023) | 0.7% 2nd lowest EU |
💸 True Cost of Hiring
Employer social security: ~27–28% of gross
Employee contribution: 13.07% of gross
Total cost above gross salary: 40–45%
Collective bargaining coverage: 96%
Avg. sector min. wage is 19% above GAMMI
New from July 2025: Employer SS contributions capped at €85,000/quarter — designed to attract high-value knowledge roles.
Employee contribution: 13.07% of gross
Total cost above gross salary: 40–45%
Collective bargaining coverage: 96%
Avg. sector min. wage is 19% above GAMMI
New from July 2025: Employer SS contributions capped at €85,000/quarter — designed to attract high-value knowledge roles.
📋 2025–2026 Wage Freeze
Salary margin set at 0% — employers cannot increase average salary cost per employee. Auto-indexation of 3.58% delivered at start of 2025. Meal vouchers increased to €10/day in 2026.
🤖
Digital Transformation & Tech Talent Crisis21,000
Projected Tech Worker Shortage by 2026
Agoria / Nucamp forecast · AI roles growing 25–28% p.a.
12%
IT Professionals with AI Experience
Massive gap driving salary premiums of +25–60%
€27.2B
ICT Market Value 2025
Growing at 11.28% CAGR → €46.4B by 2029
65%
Belgian Workforce Impacted by AI
3.3M workers · ING Belgium / Agoria study
€5B
Google AI Investment in Belgium
2026–2027 · 300 direct + 15,000 indirect jobs
76%
Employers Struggling to Find Candidates
Edstellar 2026 · Most acute: IT, engineering, healthcare
🔥 Most Critical Skill Shortages — Belgium 2026
28% — Engineers & Technicians
27% — IT & Data Professionals
22% — Logistics Positions
20% — HR Vacancies Unfilled
~10,000 — Cybersecurity Shortage
2,000+ — Engineers Needed Annually
🏠
Remote Work & Flexible EmploymentWorking from Home Rate by Sector (2025)
- Managers
- Professionals
- Public Sector (avg)
- Clerical Workers
- Private Sector (avg)
- Overall 2025
2019
18.9% of employees work from home — pre-pandemic baseline
2021 (COVID Peak)
Remote work hits all-time high during pandemic lockdowns
2022
Belgium's Labour Deal introduces Right to Disconnect via company rules
2023
21.6% sometimes WFH — vs 13.3% EU27 average (Eurostat)
2024
33.0% sometimes/usually WFH — hybrid model entrenched
2025
34.8% WFH — highest since 2021; 1.8pp above 2024
💼
The Freelance & Self-Employment Surge1,299,825
Total Self-Employed (2024)
Record high · +1.61% YoY
801K
Primary Self-Employed
+0.35% vs 2023
342K
Complementary SE
+2.7% — fastest growing
157K
Self-Employed Pensioners
+6% — record growth rate
📊 Key Freelancer Facts
• Only 36% of self-employed are women
• 70%+ won't ever return to employment
• 74% decline projects not aligned with values
• Freelancers grew 26.8% between 2018–2022
• 25% of new freelancers are foreign nationals
• IT consultants: median turnover €136K/yr
• 70%+ won't ever return to employment
• 74% decline projects not aligned with values
• Freelancers grew 26.8% between 2018–2022
• 25% of new freelancers are foreign nationals
• IT consultants: median turnover €136K/yr
🌍 International Talent Inflow
EU Blue Card min. salary: €60,998/yr
Single Permit (HQ workers): €50,310/yr min.
79.3% of workforce are Belgian nationals
8.8% from other EU member states
11.5% from third countries
Belgium ranks 8th in Europe for FDI attraction
Single Permit (HQ workers): €50,310/yr min.
79.3% of workforce are Belgian nationals
8.8% from other EU member states
11.5% from third countries
Belgium ranks 8th in Europe for FDI attraction
🎯
The Path to 80%: Belgium's Employment Journey
2000 Baseline
65.8%
2010 Milestone
69.0%
2020 Progress
71.1%
2025 Actual ✅
72.8%
Remaining Gap
7.2pp → 530K workers
2029 Target 🎯
80.0%