The unemployment rate in the Brussels-Capital Region stands at 14.7% for April, a slight increase of 0.4% compared to the same month last year. In particular, the number of young jobseekers is increasing, Actiris figures show.
The Capital Region counted 89,045 jobseekers in the month of April – 2.5% more than in April last year. Importantly, this is mainly because jobseekers on a living wage no longer have to re-register every three months and now remain registered automatically, Bruzz reports.
As a result, Actiris (which is responsible for assisting the unemployed in Brussels) counts more than a quarter more jobseekers on a living wage than in April last year. At the same time, the number of jobseekers receiving unemployment benefits fell by 1.4% compared to the same period last year.
On the other hand, the number of recent jobseekers (the group that has been out of work for fewer than two years) in particular rose. The number of long-term jobseekers fell slightly.
What is also noteworthy is that by April 2023, the number of young jobseekers (under 25 years old) has risen sharply, by almost 11%. The number of jobseekers is also rising for all levels of education.
