Belgium sees sharp rise in workers over 65 as pension age climbs

In the second quarter, Belgium's employed population remained near 4.12 million, essentially unchanged from the previous year. While most age brackets experienced declines, the cohort aged 65 and over expanded noticeably, up roughly a fifth compared with the prior year and substantially higher than the same period in 2024. Jasper Hubeau, director of finance and statistics at the ONSS, linked this growth to the success of flexi-jobs but emphasized the primary driver as the 2025 increase in the statutory pension age.

He noted that the rise is more pronounced among full-time and part-time workers than flexi-job holders, marking the first clear statistical reflection of the pension reform. Conversely, the youngest workers, particularly those under 25, fell by several percent, a trend Hubeau said warrants close monitoring and may be partly due to automation and artificial intelligence.