First and foremost, a good way to gauge the job market of any country is to see both its unemployment and employment rates. As of this writing, the former is at 5.50% while the latter is at 65.10%. Notably, its unemployment rate is one of the lowest right now, even despite the on-going pandemic. At the same time, Belgium's employment rate is also one of the highest in the world, a stark contrast from most of the other countries in the rest of the world right now. By these rates alone, it's safe to assume Belgium's job market is going strong.
As of this writing, Belgium stands as one of the best places for expats to work in, at least in Europe. Why? Because it currently has the second-highest job vacancy rate among all EU countries at 2.9%. If and when you move here, you'll have no trouble looking for job openings that can possibly hire you. However, this doesn't mean it will be completely easy for you to land a job here. A huge part of the reason why there are many job vacancies in Belgium right now is that employers are becoming more strict and specific with candidates they'd want as employees.
As far as industries in Belgium are concerned, the focus lies heavily on technology, even crossing over to other industries. As more and more businesses expand their digital platforms, employees who help in establishing and strengthening them are more needed now than ever before. For instance, although finance is seeing a big boom in Belgium as of late, the industry is looking more towards expanding its online presence, looking for more ITs and software programmers rather than financiers. Other industries that have also seen a boom in recent years here in Belgium include landscaping, the food industry, and manufacturing.
In terms of Belgian sectors that are looking for new employees, clerical jobs are becoming more and more available to both locals and expats alike. From call-center agents to assistant marketers, more and more companies are needing people to do office work in order to keep their businesses afloat. At the same time, since Belgium (pre-COVID-19 pandemic) is a strong tourist haven, the service industry, particularly among hotel management, needed workers from all around the world. The need for foreign employees would help in dealing with different customers and clients that spoke a variety of languages, though English remained the number one priority.
Despite the current boom and optimistic view of the Belgian job market now, it can't be helped that it will face certain challenges along the way. Most of which deal with qualifications and standards. As already mentioned, part of why there's a major increase in job vacancies here in recent years is because employers' standards have gone so high, not a lot of locals are able to meet it. Thus, many companies have looked to seeking potential employees overseas but even that has faced similar challenges. If this continues, Belgium might see its unemployment rate among locals to skyrocket.
As with any other country, Belgium also likes to rely on forecasts to see where the job market is headed. Specifically, the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training forecasted that many upcoming job openings will center on scientific and medical fields. It's safe to assume that the root cause for such is the COVID-19 pandemic. And if that will be the case, it will post more problems for people looking for jobs in the country. Most especially since potential candidates for such jobs will require high levels of education and even certifications to be suitable.
Despite all of what has happened recently, Belgium remains to be a fascinating and undeniably great place to work in. Its job market suggests that things are going well here for now, but it remains to be seen how long this stability will last.
Those who get to live and work here deserve only the best, which is why going for a luxurious Belgian home is the only suitable option!
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