Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Since October 2024, VDAB has helped 143,580 people find jobs. With benefits limited to 2 years, Flanders targets 80% employment by 2030 through faster activation and expanded support programs.
A VRT News report, since October 2024, when the new Flemish government started its term, the VDAB has helped 143,580 unemployed people find work. The numbers, which cover the period until July 2025, are the first clear results of the new labour policy.
The government has set a major goal of reaching an 80% employment rate by 2030. The VDAB reports that most of the new jobs have been created in public administration, hospitality and tourism, wholesale and retail trade, and temporary staffing services, sectors with high and ongoing demand for workers.
What steps are VDAB and the Flemish government taking to reach 80% employment by 2030?
Unemployment benefits are now limited to 2 years. In response, the VDAB has stepped up its services by offering short training programs, closer coaching, and better links with companies that are looking for staff.
“Our entire offering is aimed at informing, inspiring, and helping people find a job as quickly as possible. This is even more important when unemployment is limited in time,”
Said Wim Adrians, Managing Director of VDAB.
“That’s why we’re contacting job seekers more quickly.”
Van Bommel adds,
Since July, we’ve also been scheduling additional interviews so we can inform job seekers about the temporary unemployment restrictions and make them a timely offer.” The VDAB is also working on shorter and more modular training programs. “All to ensure we can help people find a job as quickly and smoothly as possible.”
The VDAB is not only active in helping unemployed people with benefits, but also supports non-working individuals who were not employed and not looking for a job before they registered.
This group includes people who live on social assistance, people with sickness or disability benefits, and people without any benefits at all. New figures reveal that in the last 10 months, 1 in 3 people who found a job through the VDAB came from this non-working group.
“These figures show that VDAB is already prepared for groups that will become more important in the future, especially if unemployment benefits are limited in time,”
Says Van Bommel.
“These people will likely receive social assistance, sickness benefits, or no benefits at all, but they may still want to take steps toward employment. We also want to continue motivating and attracting this group to find a job.”
To support these individuals, the VDAB works together with partners such as the Public Centre for Social Welfare (OCMW) and the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (RIZIV).
These partnerships give extra support to people who face barriers like health problems, long-term inactivity, or social difficulties. The VDAB has said that such cooperation will likely be expanded in the future, especially for people with health or well-being issues.
Activering van Werkzoekenden” policy also launched in the mid-2000s, when the federal government required unemployed people to follow stricter job search guidance and introduced sanctions if they refused suitable work. This was also carried out in cooperation with the VDAB in Flanders.
