Unemployed people living in Flanders who have insufficient knowledge of Dutch will soon be required to undergo language training. By doing so, the government hopes to reduce the number of 'bottleneck' professions.
Bottleneck professions are jobs for which employers are struggling to fill their vacancies. The list has grown further in Flanders to 251 professions. For the first time, it includes higher-skilled profiles such as doctors, hospital pharmacists and laboratory technicians. One of the reasons for the high number of bottleneck occupations is a lack of knowledge of Dutch, according to Flemish Employment Minister Zuhal Demir (N-VA).
"We are therefore going to oblige job seekers who cannot speak enough Dutch to take a language course," she said in a statement. "For those people, this is an opportunity to stand on their own two feet and be self-reliant."
She argued that the offer already exists: the Flemish employment office VDAB offers some 15 Dutch language courses, including a spelling or grammar course, and lessons on how to write emails or make phone calls. Other lesson packages focus on the vocabulary needed by technical professionals or salespeople. People can also choose to go into adult education.
No automatic access to work permits
To reduce the number of bottleneck jobs in the future, an "efficiency exercise" is also underway. This involves aligning all training courses in education and at the VDAB with bottleneck professions.
There is overlap there now, and by removing it the Flemish Government will "better meet the needs of the labour market and eliminate bottleneck professions faster."
She added that the bottleneck professions on the list will not automatically give access to a work permit for foreign workers to stay in Belgium. The eligible professions for such a permit will be defined later this year. "I want to fill the open bottleneck vacancies mainly by activating our labour reserve first."
Demir also appealed to the federal level, where negotiations are ongoing, to activate the unemployed and people on long-term sick leave.