A record 649,036 student workers were employed in Belgium in 2025, prompting for calls that the country’s 650-hour student work allowance to remain in place.
The business group Unizo and HR services provider Liantis published the figures on Friday. The total was 0.7% higher than the previous record set in 2024, or nearly 5,000 more student workers than a year earlier.
In 2025, the number of permitted student work hours was increased from 475 to 650. Unizo said the current system should be left unchanged, particularly as budget talks approach.
“We are once again calling clearly and firmly for the current student work system to be maintained,” said Unizo managing director Bart Buysse. “It gives students more opportunities to gain work experience and earn extra money, while allowing businesses to respond more flexibly to staffing needs. It is important to give this scheme enough time and to assess its effects carefully.”
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Véronique Decaluwe of Liantis said student jobs offer more than just extra income. “Young people learn how to work, collaborate and persevere. They discover what they enjoy and what they are good at. We sometimes see them really flourish. That room to grow is something we should value,” she said.
She added that, in a tight labour market, student workers remain an effective and flexible way for employers to keep their businesses running.
The largest group of student workers remains those aged 18 to 20, with almost 250,000 in work. The strongest growth, however, was among 21- to 23-year-olds, with nearly 3,500 additional student workers.
Women accounted for 53.3% of all student workers. Growth in 2025 was driven by men, however, with their numbers rising by 1.6% , while the number of girls under 18 fell by almost 6.5%.
Liantis said the upward trend has continued this year. In July and August, the number of student workers rose by 0.5% and 1.2% respectively, suggesting another record could be reached.
Later on Friday, the two organisations are also due to announce the Student Worker of the Year.
