The employment rate increased by 1.7 percent in the Walloon region in the third trimester of 2006 compared to the second trimester of the same year.

But this increase is primarily attributed to the increase in the employment rate among citizens of 50 years of age and older who benefited from an historical increase of 8.5 percent.

At the moment, 61.2 percent of the Belgian population is active on the labour market, a figure slightly higher then the average for the year 2005. The national unemployment rate decreased to 8.2 percent and 55,000 more Belgians over 50 are active, including 33,000 women.

The Walloon region presents good overall results with respect to employment and exceptional progress for some categories of society. But others, such as the 18 to 25-year-old Belgians seeking employment, have been left out of this improvement.

[Copyright Expatica]

Subject: Belgian news, Unemployment