13% of self-employed people in Belgium are non-Belgian, with higher shares in Brussels
Nearly one in eight self-employed workers in Belgium do not hold Belgian nationality. This proportion rises to more than four in ten in the Brussels-Capital Region. An analysis of recent data from the National Institute for Social Security of the Self-Employed (INASTI) by the social insurance fund Acerta highlights these figures. The study also reveals differences in age, sector activity, and income between Belgian and non-Belgian self-employed individuals.
According to the 2024 figures from INASTI, Belgium has a total of 1.299.825 self-employed individuals, including those with primary and secondary activities. Among them, 165.826 do not have Belgian nationality, representing roughly 13% of the total. This share has remained stable over recent years, although the absolute number of non-Belgian self-employed has increased by 10% since 2020.
The figures also show that:
- The distribution of non-Belgian self-employed workers varies significantly across regions. In Flanders and Wallonia, non-Belgians account for about 9%, while in Brussels, they represent 41.9%.
- Age profiles differ between Belgian and non-Belgian self-employed individuals: Over half (56%) of non-Belgian self-employed individuals are under 45 years old, compared to 44% of Belgians.
- Sector activity also varies between the two groups: Industry is the main sector for 42.4% of non-Belgians, while intellectual professions lead for 35.8% of Belgians. Commerce ranks second for both groups, with 26.3% of Belgians and 23.2% of non-Belgians active in this sector.
- Income levels further highlight distinctions: Around 33% of Belgian self-employed earn less than €5,000 annually, compared to 20% of non-Belgians. This may be partly explained by the higher proportion of Belgian self-employed who engage in secondary activities—28% versus 13% among non-Belgians.
For further details please read this press release in French or in Dutch.