Genk (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Genk’s new housing rule for international workers requires permits and conformity certificates. Foreign workers must work in Genk. Priority is for locals. The goal is to raise employment from 68.8% to 80%. (Alderman Mustafa Harraq, CD&V).
As VRT News reported, the city of Genk has recently implemented a new police regulation focused on the housing market, particularly concerning accommodation for international employees.
This regulation specifically addresses rooms, which are often utilised by migrant workers, aiming to ensure their appropriate use and distribution throughout the city. The policy dictates the permissible locations and conditions for such housing, seeking to prevent an over-concentration in specific neighbourhoods.
Officials mentioned that those who wish to provide this type of accommodation are required to apply for an operating permit and secure a certificate of conformity. This certificate guarantees that the housing meets the necessary technical and safety standards, similar to those mandated for lodging rooms, thereby ensuring a safe and balanced living environment.
What are Genk’s new rules on housing and local employment?
The new rules in Genk also cover the quality and management of worker housing. Landlords must follow all employment and renting laws to prevent problems like overcrowding or unsafe conditions. The city wants to stop illegal rentals and protect international workers. They mentioned that these rules are part of a bigger plan to make sure housing is fair and humane as more people come to work in Genk.
“Moreover, international employees who want to live in Genk, also have to work in Genk,”
Says Alderman for Housing and Work, Mustafa Harraq (CD&V).
“it cannot be that, for example, a company or an interim agency from the Netherlands buys buildings in Genk and houses international employees there, because they cannot find a place in the Netherlands.”
Genk is prioritising residents for job opportunities. Businesses are now required to actively seek and recruit unemployed individuals within the community before considering foreign workers. This policy aims to ensure that economic benefits first reach those who are already part of the local community, especially those without jobs.
According to Mustafa Harraq, employers must prove they have made a genuine effort to hire locally, which includes working with local job centers, conducting outreach campaigns, or providing training to help potential candidates gain the necessary skills.
Only after exhausting these local options and finding no suitable candidates are companies allowed to consider international labour. This approach also influences housing policies, as providing accommodation for foreign workers is contingent upon first exploring and exhausting local recruitment possibilities, encouraging businesses to prioritise local hiring.
Genk wants more people in the local workforce. The city aims to increase the number of people working or looking for work from 68.8% to 80%. The mayor says they don’t want to encourage foreign workers unless there are no other choices. He mentioned that the main goal is to help local people, especially those in need, get jobs and benefit from the economy.
Lailuma Sadid is a former diplomat in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Embassy to the kingdom of Belgium, in charge of NATO. She attended the NATO Training courses and speakers for the events at NATO H-Q in Brussels, and also in Nederland, Germany, Estonia, and Azerbaijan. Sadid has is a former Political Reporter for Pajhwok News Agency, covering the London, Conference in 2006 and Lisbon summit in 2010.
