Brussels, 26 September, (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Nearly half of Brussels jobseekers affected by the first two waves of the Brussels unemployment reform moved onto assistance from local Public Centres for Social Welfare, known as CPAS, within three months of losing their unemployment benefits, according to new figures published by Actiris.
Nearly half of affected jobseekers move to CPAS
Actiris said its latest monitoring examined around 15,500 jobseekers affected by the first two waves of benefit expirations during the first quarter of 2026. The groups included people with more than eight years of unemployment.
Of those affected, 47.6% became CPAS beneficiaries within three months of reaching the end of their unemployment entitlement. Another 8.9%, or 1,381 people, moved into Belgium’s sickness and invalidity insurance system.
Employment outcomes were substantially lower. Actiris found 12.6% had entered employment within three months when jobs of all durations were included. Only 7.1% had secured employment lasting at least 28 days.
Actiris cautioned that the figures remain a “photographie provisoire de la situation” — a provisional snapshot of the situation — because the longer-term employment and training outcomes are not yet fully available.
27,500 Brussels jobseekers lose benefits
By the end of June 2026, approximately 27,500 Brussels jobseekers had lost entitlement to unemployment or insertion benefits.
The people affected also include groups facing significant barriers to finding work. Actiris said 63.6% had a low level of educational attainment, while 39.1% were aged 50 or older.
The movement towards CPAS assistance was recorded across the Brussels-Capital Region. Etterbeek had the highest proportion at 57.8%, followed by Auderghem at 53.6%, the City of Brussels at 52.9% and Saint-Gilles at 51.7%.
Federal reform limits unemployment benefits
Belgium’s revised unemployment rules entered into force on 1 March 2026. Under the new system, full unemployment benefits are generally limited to a maximum of 24 months: a basic entitlement of 12 months plus up to another 12 months depending on employment history. Insertion benefits are limited to a maximum of one year.
ONEM, Belgium’s federal employment office, describes the change as a fundamental overhaul, stating that “la réglementation relative à l’assurance chômage a été réformée en profondeur” — unemployment insurance regulations have been extensively reformed.
The Constitutional Court confirmed most of the reform on 10 September but annulled part of its transitional arrangements after finding unequal treatment affecting some long-term unemployed people. ONEM said it was analysing which cases were affected and how the ruling should be implemented.
Social services face continued demand
The figures show that the immediate result for many long-term unemployed residents has been movement to another part of Belgium’s social protection system rather than directly into work.
Actiris reported that 4,647 people affected by the changes had begun employment-support programmes since October 2025. It estimates another 10,000 Brussels jobseekers could reach the end of their entitlement between July 2026 and June 2027.
Further monitoring will track employment outcomes
Actiris plans further monitoring as the Brussels unemployment reform continues. The agency said future editions will provide more complete indicators on access to employment and entry into training.
Those figures will provide a clearer measure of how many residents eventually return to work and how many continue to rely on CPAS and other parts of Belgium’s social protection system.
