Even if it still has a high unemployment rate (9.6% in June 2023, excluding the German-speaking community), which particularly concerns young people under the age of 25 (25% were unemployed in 2022, according to the Walloon Institute of evaluation, forecasting and statistics), Wallonia is also encountering labor problems in a series of professions: 158 are “in short supply”, 92 “in shortage”.
In an attempt to remedy a situation that is hampering its recovery, members of the Walloon government hope to convince the Belgian federal state and Flanders that it is necessary to regularize undocumented migrants and asylum seekers capable of entering involved, very diverse: construction, logistics, catering, butchery, welding, IT development, accounting, etc.
Elio Di Rupo, the minister-president of the region, and Christie Morreale, the employment minister, both socialists, sent a letter to Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo in July. Its content leaked at the end of August because it had obviously not met with the response desired by its authors. Even though the Flemish liberal leader declared himself ” without taboo “ and if the Walloon bosses and unions firmly support the ministers’ request.
Wallonia, competent for the granting of work permits, however, needs the approval of the central government for residence permits. Only researchers and students can obtain a single permit. It is therefore impossible to issue an authorization, including to non-European foreigners who have training and skills to practice a profession in short supply. However, there is urgency, according to the Walloon leaders: in the next fifteen years, the region will have 50,000 fewer workers, says the Union of the Middle Classes, an association for the defense of the self-employed.
Flanders under pressure from the far right
However, it remains to convince Flanders: if the bosses are also calling for an emergency plan, the right-wing parties, in the majority, are under pressure from the far right, hostile to any measure comparable to a possible opening of the borders. The interministerial conference, which brings together the regional and federal powers, has already mentioned a possible regularization but without being able to conclude an agreement. While 200,000 jobs in total are not currently finding takers in the country and the situation is considered to be truly critical in Flanders, where the massive recruitment of cross-border workers, especially French, is no longer enough to make up for the lack.
You have 36.81% of this article left to read. The following is for subscribers only.