Young people may not be entitled to unemployment insurance as workers typically need to have made contributions for a certain number of days within a given reference period. Ineligibility can refrain young jobseekers from contacting the Public Employment Service (PES), even though they would be entitled to job search support, regardless of their benefit entitlement. In Belgium, jobseekers under 36 must have worked the full-time equivalent of one year within the past 21 months, which precludes many recent graduates from benefit eligibility. The Integration Allowance encourages young people to register with the PES upon graduation and offers support to those who remain unemployed within the first years of labour market entry.
Integration allowance – Belgium
Abstract
Young people between 18 and 25 who have finished compulsory schooling and find themselves unemployed can receive an integration allowance since 1991 (albeit with modifications over time). Young jobseekers can receive the allowance for a period of three years, which can be extended in certain situations. For example, since 2014, entitlements can be extended to five years for individuals in particularly vulnerable situations (including those with certain medical or mental needs). Beneficiaries need to be available to the labour market and cannot refuse appropriate employment or vocational training.
Prior to receiving the monetary allowance, jobseekers must participate in a one‑year professional integration period, during which they must be available to work and comply with job-search requirements. Requirements include accepting a suitable job, vocational training or a first job agreement and attending meetings with employers, the employment service, or the vocational training department. During the integration period, jobseekers must obtain two positive behavioural evaluations from the PES. Non-compliance with the requirements set out by the PES is sanctioned by not counting the days of absence toward the integration period. Jobseekers may engage in paid work, self-employment activities, and short, non-intensive courses, during the integration period as long as they remain available to the job market.
Data for the period 2012‑16 show that around 90 000 young people aged 18‑29 registered per year for the first time for the integration period, with the bulk registering in the third quarter. 48% of them had an upper secondary diploma, 30% a tertiary diploma, and 22% a lower secondary diploma. On average over 2012‑16, 46% of young people participating in the integration period were working after one‑quarter. The share was higher (62%) for those who had some prior work experience (noting that only a minority of the participants had prior work experience: 14%). After one year, 62% of the participants were working, 10% were still unemployed, and the remaining 29% became inactive.
More recent data for 2022 shows a stock of 18 000 young people under age 30 receiving the integration allowance. The annual inflow has been gradually declining from 18 000 in 2016 to 8 700 in 2022.
Further reading
[1] De Rijksdienst voor Arbeidsvoorziening (2023), Werkzoekende uitkeringsgerechtigde volledig werklozen: Na studies, https://www.rva.be/statistieken/cijfers/volledige-werkloosheid/werkzoekende-uitkeringsgerechtigde-volledig-werklozen#na-studies.
[2] FPS Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue (2019), Statistieken Socio-economische monitoring 2019: Bijlagen, https://werk.belgie.be/nl/statistieken.
[3] ONEM (2023), Avez-vous droit aux allocations après des études?, https://www.onem.be/citoyens/chomage-complet/avez-vous-droit-a-une-allocation-de-chomage-/avez-vous-droit-aux-allocations-apres-des-etudes.
[4] Pudar, G. et al. (2013), Youth policy in Belgium: it’s more complex than you think!, Council of Europe Youth Policy Review, https://rm.coe.int/16807023f1.
[5] Pulignano, V. and N. Doerflinger (2014), Belgian Trade Unions and the Youth: Initiatives and Challenges, Centre for Sociological Research (CeSO), Leuven, https://soc.kuleuven.be/ceso/ceso-reports-1/141001belgium-trade-unions-and-the-youth-final.pdf.
[6] Sécurité sociale Citoyen (2023), Jeunes, https://soc.kuleuven.be/ceso/ceso-reports-1/141001belgium-trade-unions-and-the-youth-final.pdf.
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