Participate
Share your datasets and applications with the open data community
Labour force survey (LFS) Purpose and short description The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a socio-economic household sample survey. Its main objective is to classify the working age population (15 and older) into three groups (employed, unemployed and inactive persons) and to provide descriptive and explanatory data on every category. This survey is also carried out in the other EU Member States and is coordinated by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In Belgium, the LFS is organised by Statbel. The objective is to obtain comparable information at European level, in particular as regards employment and unemployment rates as defined by the International Labour Office (ILO), but also to collect and disseminate data that are otherwise not available, for example about the mobility of workers, the reasons for working part-time, the various forms of part-time employment, the occupation, the educational level of the working age population, ... . Survey population Members of private households aged 15 or older. Sample frame Demographic data from the National Register. Data collection method and sample size Data are collected through face-to-face interviews. Since 2017, there have been three (shorter) follow-up surveys to which households respond online or by telephone. Households with only inactive persons older than 64 can also be interviewed by telephone. Every year, around 47,000 households receive a letter asking them to take part in this survey. Response rate The response rate is above 75%. Periodicity Quarterly Release calendar Results availability: around 3 months after the end of the reference period. Forms Labour Force Survey 2020 (PDF, 541 Kb) Labour Force Survey 2021 (PDF, 1 Mb) Metadata Employment, unemployment, labour market (NL-FR) Labour force survey (LFS) (NL-FR) Survey methodology Modifications to the Labour Force Survey (LFS) in 2021 LFS: Methodological improvements to the Labour Force Survey 2017 (PDF, 99 Kb) LFS: Presentation of the survey until 2016 (NL-FR) LFS: Presentation of the survey from 2017 (NL-FR) Regulations Royal Decree of 10 January 1999 on the organisation of a labour force sample survey (NL-FR) Royal decree amending the royal decree of 10 January 1999 on the organisation of a labour force sample survey (NL-FR)
Share your datasets and applications with the open data community