Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Antwerp filled 35 Public Social Welfare Centre vacancies within months to handle rising demand as 667 residents will lose unemployment benefits starting January 2026 under new federal rules.
As VRT News reported, all 35 vacancies at the Public Centre for Social Welfare (OCMW) in Antwerp have been filled after an intensive recruitment drive. The city launched the hiring campaign earlier this year to prepare for a major change in the unemployment system. From January 1, 2026, people who have been unemployed for a long time will gradually lose their benefits.
The new rule will be introduced in phases, starting with those who have been jobless for more than 20 years. In Antwerp, 667 residents belong to this first group and will see their payments end at the beginning of the year.
“We want to be as prepared as possible and have enough staff to correctly process all new applications,”
says the office of Alderman for Social Affairs Nathalie van Baren (N-VA).
What will Antwerp’s 35 new OCMW recruits do as 2026 benefit cuts begin?
Antwerp has also expanded staff training and updated digital systems to process cases more efficiently. City officials say the completed recruitment ensures the welfare department is ready for the upcoming reform.
“The VDAB is doing everything it can to put as many people as possible to work.”
Cabinet of Alderman for Social Affairs Nathalie van Baren (N-VA)
“Of course, it’s still a matter of guesswork. The VDAB is currently doing everything it can to put as many people as possible to work so they don’t lose their benefits. It’s therefore difficult to estimate how many people will actually end up going to the OCMW,”
said Van Baren’s office.
Antwerp is preparing for a major change in the welfare system as more than 10,000 residents will gradually lose their unemployment benefits. The new rule will start on January 1, 2026, and will be rolled out in several phases over the coming years.
City officials expect that about one-third of those affected will turn to the Public Centre for Social Welfare (OCMW) for help. Many will need financial assistance or guidance to find work. The second phase, which begins on March 1, 2026, will apply to those who have been out of work for between 8 and 20 years.
To manage this, the city will open a new central help desk for job seekers on December 1, 2025, at Koeveldstraat in Deurne. People can visit in person to ask about minimum income options, job reorientation programs, or retraining courses. Until the opening, anyone with questions can call the city information line at 03 343 97 33.
The plan to end long-term unemployment benefits in Belgium was announced by the federal government in June 2024 as part of its 2024–2029 employment strategy. Parliament approved the reform in September 2024 to help raise the national employment rate to 80% by 2030. The idea was first discussed in early 2023, after reports showed a growing labour shortage and higher social spending.
