Figures released by the Brussels regional employment agency Actiris show a further rise in the number of people that are unemployed in the capital. At the end of July there were 93,416 people in Brussels that were unemployed and looking for work. This is a rise of 4,185 on the end of July 2023. The unemployment rate in Brussels is now at its highest level in almost 7 years.
The increase is particularly noticeable among young people (+10.8%) and among those with a high level of academic attainment. (+10.1%). Among those with a low level of academic attainment there has been a modest (1.2%) fall in the number of unemployed in Brussels.
Currently 14.9% of the working population resident in the Brussels-Capital Region is unemployed. This figure does not include people that are “inactive” (not working or not seeking working).
The last time that the unemployment rate was so high in Brussels was almost 7 years ago in October 2017.