The federal unemployment reform will deprive nearly 40,000 Brussels residents of their benefits between 2026 and 2027. This shockwave will force the Region to review its priorities in terms of employment and training.
The countdown has begun. From January 2026, the federal unemployment reform will begin to take effect, with strict time limits on benefits and successive waves of people losing their entitlement. In Brussels, this means that thousands of people will lose their only safety net. This is a social and economic upheaval that raises questions about our collective ability to support, train and reintegrate people.
A reform that's turning Brussels upside down
The figures are staggering: according to the National Employment Office (ONEM/RVA), more than 40,000 Brussels residents are set to lose their benefits by summer 2027. Seven waves are planned, which will first affect the longest-term unemployed, then gradually spread to the entire population. For these thousands of people, this will mean a maximum of two years of full unemployment benefit and one year of integration income.
A third of them are expected to turn to the Public Centres for Social Welfare (CPAS/OCMW). The additional cost for the latter is estimated at €121 million, according to information relayed by our partner L'Echo. Beyond the figures, one thing is clear: there is a risk of increased precariousness, with repercussions on health, housing and social cohesion.
In Brussels, the situation is all the more sensitive as long-term unemployment remains high. According to the federation of Brussels Public Centres for Social Welfare, nearly 60% of job seekers are low-skilled, while many vacancies are mainly in bottleneck professions: construction, health, IT, education, and accounting.
Actiris, CPAS/OCMW, Bruxelles Formation: the moment of truth
For those involved in the field, adaptation must be swift. Actiris, at the forefront, will have to review its procedures: provide support earlier, monitor more quickly, and redirect more effectively. Bruxelles Formation is already working on shorter, more modular courses that lead to professions where demand is high. ‘Training is a solution to unemployment,’ insists its director general, Laurence Rayane. But between theory and practice, there is a discouraging gap: excessively long waiting times, overly high access thresholds, and a lack of opportunities for progression.
On the CPAS/OCMW side, the fear is that thousands of new applicants will flood in. ‘We are in a state of institutional neurosis,’ laments Pierre Verbeeren, General Director of the Brussels CPAS/OCMW. For him, an ‘entrepreneurial’ approach can prevent services from becoming overwhelmed. His observation echoes that of many other stakeholders: action cannot be solely social, it must also incorporate the logic of professional reintegration.
When job seekers give up
Beyond structures, there's the experience. At the Talent Talks event organised at Beci, several voices highlighted this human dimension. ‘Many don't even receive a response to their applications,’ points out Florence Lepoivre, secretary general of the FGTB-ABVV Brussels. ‘How can you not get discouraged in these conditions?’ She also encourages employers to publish their job offers via Actiris, to increase their visibility among Brussels job seekers.
For young people aged 18 to 24, the situation is just as worrying. Alice Kwitegetse Mpoyiki, coordinator of the Jobcoaching service at Infor Jeunes Bruxelles, points to a triple obstacle: dropping out of school, lack of basic skills and fragile mental health. Added to this is the complexity of the administrative process, which makes every step a struggle. These testimonies highlight the main risk: seeing thousands of people slip off the radar, with no clear prospect of reintegration.
Beci takes action
Given this challenge, Beci refuses to give up. While the reform may be disruptive, it also provides an opportunity to rethink our priorities. Brussels has no shortage of talent, but there is a mismatch between skills and needs. The challenge is twofold: to prevent thousands of people from falling into exclusion and to finally provide companies with the profiles they struggle to recruit.
The unemployment reform is a wake-up call. It deprives thousands of Brussels residents of their replacement income, but it also highlights the urgent need for a more inclusive, more transparent labour market that is better connected to the needs of businesses.
The coming two years will be decisive, and everything will depend on the ability of public, social and economic actors to work together. Beci, for its part, intends to contribute to this by promoting professions in high demand and bringing employers and candidates together through forums for dialogue such as Talent Talks, where trade unions, businesses, training providers and public authorities exchange their views. Because beyond the figures, that is what it is all about: giving everyone the chance to find their place in the world of work.
Brussels needs to strengthen the bridges between job seekers and businesses. Our technology companies are ready to open their doors to new profiles and invest in their skills. Together, Actiris and employers can turn this challenge into a real driver of inclusion and growth.
- Agoria
Take part in the next Talent Talks on 10 February: "Long-term sick leave: succeeding together in the return to work"