Belgium Services Employment
Employment in services SL.SRV.EMPL.ZS
Belgium's services employment was 79.77% in 2025, ranked 162nd globally. This represents a 0.4% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Belgium's services employment stood at 79.77% in 2025, a rise of +0.30% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 79.79% by 2026. Belgium ranked 162nd globally.
Belgium’s share of employment in services rose steadily from 66.91 in 1991 to an all‑time high of 79.77 in 2025, placing the country at rank 162 globally among 213 economies. The 13.86‑point increase over 35 years reflects a structural shift toward a post‑industrial economy, mirroring trends in other advanced European states such as Norway, which recorded 79.66 percent services employment in the same year. The upward trajectory accelerated after the early 2000s, coinciding with the expansion of digital and financial services, while the modest dip during the 2008‑09 financial crisis was quickly recovered. Despite the strong performance, Belgium remains slightly below peers like Canada (80.15) and Denmark (79.57), suggesting room for further diversification of high‑value service sectors. Continued investment in technology, skills development, and cross‑border service integration is likely to sustain the rise in services employment, though a slowdown could occur if global demand for traditional service exports weakens.
Data & projection
| Year | Services Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 80.24% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 80.02% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 79.79% | - | - |
| 2025 | 79.77% | +0.30% | #162 |
| 2024 | 79.47% | +0.70% | #162 |
| 2023 | 78.77% | +0.30% | #161 |
| 2022 | 78.47% | −0.68% | #161 |
| 2021 | 79.15% | +0.86% | #167 |
| 2020 | 78.30% | +0.50% | #164 |
| 2019 | 77.80% | −0.42% | #161 |
| 2018 | 78.21% | +0.57% | #162 |
| 2017 | 77.65% | +0.16% | #162 |
| 2016 | 77.48% | +0.09% | #162 |
| 2015 | 77.39% | +0.00% | #162 |
| 2014 | 77.39% | +0.45% | #164 |
| 2013 | 76.94% | −0.14% | #161 |
| 2012 | 77.07% | +1.61% | #165 |
| 2011 | 75.47% | +0.19% | #162 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Belgium matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2021. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw services employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Belgium's services employment was 79.77% in 2025. Ranked 162nd globally. This represents a 0.4% increase from the previous year.
Belgium's services employment peaked at 79.77% in 2025.
The lowest services employment in Belgium was 66.91% in 1991.
Belgium ranks 162nd globally in services employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.SRV.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Belgium's services employment is projected to reach 79.79% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The services employment of Belgium in 2025 was 79.77%. This ranks 162nd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_belgium_services-employment,
title = {Belgium Services Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/belgium/services-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}