Various initiatives have been introduced to facilitate employment across the regional and linguistic borders in Belgium. The collaboration between Forem and VDAB has intensified, and Voka has established an unequivocal site called “You’re ost welcome” to lure French speakers. Moreover, they have held a job fair in Mouscron. Forem has decided to launch two “Work week” events to introduce Walloon job seekers to opportunities existing in Flanders. In addition, the federal government has abolished the practice of rejecting job offers because of the language barrier or regional differences.
To achieve this, initiatives have multiplied. The collaboration between Forem and its counterpart the VDAB has intensified in recent years.
The Voka, the Flemish employers’ organization, has even created an unequivocal site “You’re ost welcome” to attract French speakers. In February, he also held a job fair in Mouscron.
For its part, Forem has decided to organize two “Work week” in order to introduce Walloon job seekers to the opportunities that exist in Flanders.
As for the federal government, there is no longer any question of refusing a job because you have to cross the regional or linguistic border.
In conclusion, the job market in Belgium has been traditionally split between the French-speaking Wallonia and the Dutch-speaking Flanders, but in recent years, there has been a concerted effort to bridge this divide. From initiatives by employers’ organizations and job fairs to collaboration between regional job agencies, there are now more opportunities available for job seekers willing to cross linguistic or regional borders. With the federal government also supporting this trend, the Belgian job market is becoming more inclusive and welcoming to all.
