Flanders to introduce mandatory integration course for non-EU labour migrants

From 2027, labour migrants from outside the European Union will be required to complete an integration programme in Flanders. The decision, announced by Flemish Integration minister Hilde Crevits (CD&V), aims to help newcomers settle both at work and in society.

The course will be offered digitally, allowing migrants to start in their home country or within six months of arrival. It will cover workplace rights and duties, Belgian laws on residence and employment, social security, housing, healthcare, and education. 

Participation will also be mandatory for partners of labour migrants. Exemptions apply to seasonal workers, exchange students, trainees, and temporary workers from countries such as Canada, Australia and South Korea. 

Flanders receives more than 18,000 labour migrants each year. Most are not obliged to follow integration courses. However, for so-called third-country migrants (those from outside the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland), the package will be mandatory. 

Crevits argues the programme will better equip them to defend their rights and adapt quickly: “This package is not a barrier, but a tool in the war for talent.” 

The integration modules, being developed by Flemish agencies, are expected to be available in six languages by 2027.

^{#FlandersNewsService | Flemish minister for Integration Hilde Crevits © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK}