The number of employees over the age of 65 has more than doubled in the past decade in Belgium, according to a study released on Friday by human resources specialist SD Worx.
In March 2024, there were 44,350 workers in this age group compared to fewer than 17,000 in 2014, based on data from SD Worx and the National Social Security Office (ONSS).
Over the past ten years, the total number of workers in the private sector increased by 14%. For workers over 65, this increase was more than 150%.
During this period, the Belgian population grew by 5.5%, while the group of those aged 65 and over saw an increase of 18.25%.
"The population is ageing, but we also see a rise in the proportion of workers aged 65 and over who continue to work after retirement, often part-time," said Jean-Luc Vannieuwenhuyse from the Knowledge Centre of SD Worx.
"There are approximately 20,000 people over 65 in temporary, flexible, or seasonal jobs to help manage peak periods. Less than one in five workers (18%) of this age group are still working full-time," he added.
The transport, freight, and logistics sectors, along with taxi services, have the highest proportion of older workers, the study indicates.
Popular occupations for this age group include administrative employee, concierge, taxi driver, lorry driver, security guard, cleaner, home help, and teacher.
