Unemployment in Brussels climbed by 4 percent in October compared with the same month last year, with the steepest rise recorded among highly educated jobseekers. According to new

figures from the regional employment agency Actiris, 96,161 Brussels residents are now registered as looking for work.

The increase comes after a month in which more people entered unemployment than left it. In October, 11,546 people signed up with Actiris, while 10,078 either found a job or deregistered. The result is a net rise of nearly 1,500 jobseekers in just one month—pushing annual growth in unemployment above 4 percent.

Steep drop in job vacancies

The rise in unemployment coincides with a sharp decline in available jobs. Over the past year, the number of vacancies reported to Actiris has fallen by 39 percent, affecting almost every sector, according to Bruzz.

One of the most striking trends is the growing number of highly educated jobseekers. Their numbers have jumped by more than 10 percent in a year. Today, people with a higher-education diploma make up around one-fifth of Brussels’ jobseekers—roughly the same share as those with a secondary-education qualification. Low-skilled workers, however, remain the largest group, representing more than 59 percent of all jobseekers.

The number of unemployed people relying on support from the public social welfare centre (OCMW/CPAS) has also surged, rising by more than 15 percent to 19,037—nearly one in five jobseekers. Long-term unemployment continues to worsen as well: the number of people jobless for more than two years is up 5.7 percent compared to October 2024.

Increase visible across age and gender groups

The upward trend spans almost all age categories. Gender distribution remains largely unchanged, with women making up 48 percent of jobseekers and men 52 percent. Photo by Bert76, Wikimedia commons.