Almost 1 in 5 jobseekers on Flanders that were due to lose their unemployment benefit earlier this year have since found work. In late November 2025 the Flemish Employment and Vocational Training Service VDAB analysed the figures for long-term unemployed people that had found work since measures were passed to limit the length of time than unemployment benefit can be claimed. This revealed a clear age divide, with younger jobseekers finding work far more easily than older people, somer of whom have been out of work for decades.
Almost 20% of jobseekers in Flanders that were to lose their unemployment benefit have found work
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The figures have been released by the office of the Flemish Employment Minister Zuhal Demir (nationalist). They relate to the first stage of the Federal Government’s reform of unemployment benefits that was decided in July. Between 1 January and 28 February, benefits will be withdrawn from people who have been unemployed for 20 years or more, as well as from young adults receiving starter benefits. Based on the VDAB’s figures from September, 4,784 people in Flanders are expected to lose their unemployment benefit.
Of these, 1,351 people were classified as having serious welfare, health or social problems, meaning their transition to work is currently considered unrealistic. Of the remaining 3,433 jobseekers, 18% had found employment by the end of November.
Age a decisive factor
Age is a decisive factor when it comes to finding work. Among the jobseekers aged 20 to 34, 22% were already in work by late November. The figure for those aged 50 to 64 was just 6%. This underlines the structural difficulty of reintegrating older long-term unemployed workers into the workplace. Ms Demir says that the figures are “encouraging” but stressed that helping more people into work will be VDAB’s central task in the coming months.
The reform of unemployment benefits could ultimately affect around 100,000 people nationwide and it remains politically contentious. The Federal Employment Minister David Clarinval (Francophone liberal) expects that a third of those affected will find a job, while another third will rely on their partner’s income. The remainder will fall back on social security payments from their local Social Service and Welfare Department (OCMW).