17 per cent of Limburg small and medium-sized companies (known as SMEs in the jargon) consider labour migration i.e. attracting workers from abroad to be the best solution to labour market shortages. The figure comes from a survey conducted among more than 700 Flemish companies by human resources services company SD Worx and employers organisation Voka. Half of all Limburg companies that took part are prepared to consider labour migration as a solution.
Seventeen per cent, or one in six companies, gives Limburg the highest score among all Flemish provinces. The figure is even double the Flemish average of eight per cent.
The reason is simple: half of all Limburg companies say they are not seeing sufficient inflow of qualified candidates for vacancies. "This tightness of the labour market returns as the biggest concern in all our surveys," says Jonas De Raeve of Voka Limburg. "Companies are not finding enough qualified people. That is why they are increasingly looking beyond our national borders."
In Limburg the world is their oyster
Workers from neighbouring countries are being recruited, but also from other European member states or even beyond. "Limburg is very centrally located, close to the Netherlands. That's why entrepreneurs eagerly look to our northern neighbours, but they also welcome workers from countries like Poland, Ukraine, Romania and beyond."
Even from as far as the Philippines
One in 10 companies in Limburg has already successfully employed foreign workers. Half are not doing so yet but are up for it. Bus company Staf Cars from Lommel and Pelt started recruiting from abroad two years ago. Most of the foreign workers are from the Philippines. In total, there are about 40 full-time employees.
"It has been a necessity to continue offering our services," CEO Pieter Thijs says. "It is not the only solution, but we could not possibly fill all vacancies without foreign workers. In two years, only two people left the company. We are not talking about a way to fill vacancies at short notice. It's about people who want to build a life here".
Not a problem, but part of the solution
Employers’ organisation Voka thinks the government should consider labour migration as part of the solution and not a problem to be regulated. "The number of vacancies in Flanders is not going to decrease any time soon. The tightness in the labour market is going to stay with us. Besides activating the non-working population and automation, you have to dare to put a bet on labour migration," De Raeve says.
The employers' organisation currently sees too many obstacles. Hiring still takes too much time "Today, it takes three to four months to apply and receive residence and work permits. In the Netherlands, this can be done in three weeks. In addition, these permits should also be available for more professions. Now it is a select list. Low-skilled people, for instance, are completely missing here. Housing for foreign workers is also a problem”.
Up to 6 months to get a permit
At Staf Cars CEO Pieter Thijs also sees the same problem: "The process takes a lot of time. From submitting the application to getting the permit, we are easily talking about a period of three to six months. If you find enthusiastic people, they have to wait. If the work permit is approved, you still have to wait for the residence permit. The work permit is valid for only one year. So, you lose weeks or even months."
The biggest problems, however, according to Thijs, are with renewals. "That has to be done after just one year. Since the increase in the number of applications in Flanders, it happens more and more often that renewals are not approved on time. As long as you have made that application, the government's current permit is extended. But explain that if you are a coach driver on the road abroad. You just have to have the right documents."