One in eight working Brussels residents employed in Flanders

The number of Brussels residents commuting to Flanders for work is rising rapidly, with more than 65,000 doing so in 2023. The figure represents 12.4 per cent of the capital’s working population. 

Over 65,000 Brussels residents commuted to Flanders for work in 2023, an increase of 9,000 from the previous year or 16.5 per cent. This growth far exceeds the five-year average of 5 per cent. The number of Brussels residents working in Flanders now represents 12.4 per cent of the total working population of the capital, according to a labour market analysis by Brussels employment agency Actiris and the Flemish equivalent, VDAB.

Three-quarters of Brussels commuters work in Flemish Brabant, mainly in trade, scientific and technical fields, and logistics. The number is set to rise further, with projections of 1,700 extra commuters each year in 2024-2025 and 2,300 a year from 2026-2029.

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75 per cent of Brussels residents working in Flanders are men, with women’s participation dropping from 33 per cent in 2018 to 25 per cent in 2023. Actiris attributes this to family-related part-time work constraints. 

More than half of commuters are highly educated, up from 44 per cent five years ago, and nearly half are of non-EU origin. 88 per cent have permanent working contracts.

Language barrier

Barriers remain for Brussels job seekers. Dutch proficiency is a key challenge: 87.9 per cent of vacancies in Flemish Brabant required it in 2023, with 80 per cent demanding advanced proficiency, but only 5.8 per cent of Brussels job seekers are fully bilingual. 

Commuting is another hurdle. Six in 10 people are unwilling to travel more than an hour round trip, and 44 per cent cite poor public transport links between Brussels and Flanders. 

Labour agencies stress the need for better language training, flexible childcare, digital skills and anti-discrimination measures to improve job mobility. While non-EU workers are increasingly commuting to Flanders, they often face lower wages and job insecurity.

^{#FlandersNewsService | A logistics worker at Brussels Airport © BELGA PHOTO HATIM KAGHAT}

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