The employment rate among newcomers in Flanders has increased over the past 10 years figures from the Flemish government's Living Together Barometer show. In 2022, some 58 per cent of newcomers with origins outside the EU were at work.
The Barometer collects annual figures on how people live together in Flanders centring on themes such as employment, education and financial abilities. Last year a total of 2,759 people were also surveyed about their experiences with themes like citizenship, equal treatment and social networks.
That barometer now shows that the employment rate among newcomers has risen over the past 10 years. In 2022, 58 per cent of newcomers with origins outside the EU origins were in work, compared to 46.4 per cent in 2013. Among newcomers with EU origins, the employment rate rose from 51 per cent to 63.8 per cent.
Although the figures show an upward trend, there is still a gap with citizens of Belgian origins. Among that group, the employment rate stands at 79.7 per cent.
Number of pupils leaving secondary education with a diploma drops
When it comes to education ground has been lost in recent years. The latest figures show that in 2022 only 72.6 per cent of pupils with a different home language left secondary education with a diploma. That is the lowest score in 10 years.
Among pupils whose home language is Dutch, the figure is 90 per cent, but that too is the lowest level for 10 years.
More discrimination among second generation immigrants
The group experiencing the most discrimination continues to be second-generation citizens of non-EU origins. In 2024, some 60 per cent said they had experienced discrimination in the past year. In 2023, that figure stood at 67 per cent. The same group is also the most likely to feel that they do not count as much as other citizens. Among the first generation, some 46 per cent of people report experiencing discrimination.Financially, second-generation migrants with origins outside the EU do fare better. For instance, they have less difficulty than the first generation in covering an unexpected cost of 1,100 euros. Even though 1 in 3 people from that group would still have trouble covering such unexpected costs.
In addition, according to government figures, for the 3rd year in a row, fewer children were born into poverty. In 2019, 39.3 per cent of children in Flanders were born into poverty, while in 2023 the figure was 33.8 per cent.
More trust in politics, but threshold to vote remains high
As 2024 was an election year, the focus of this year's survey was on government trust and political engagement. Among other things, it shows that people of foreign origins have more confidence in our local governments than people of Belgian origins. Some 54 per cent of those surveyed with origins outside the EU have confidence in our local governments, compared to 32 per cent of people of Belgian origin.
People of foreign origin also rank issues like combating poverty, discrimination and housing as more important in comparison with people of Belgian origin. The latter group believe pensions, social security and migration are the important themes.
Figures from the home affairs ministry show that only 10 per cent of newcomers have registered. Yet in the survey, some 32 per cent had indicated that they intended to vote.
‘The registration required for non-Belgian residents to go and vote appears to form a threshold,’ says Flemish integration minister Hilde Crevits (Christian democrat/CD&V). ‘Together with the home affairs agency, I will examine what additional actions are needed. Given that the topics that people of foreign origins focus on are different to the ones that occupy people of Belgian origins, it is important that their voice is also represented.’