Migrant workers or people arriving in Flanders as part of family reunification will be able to complete the first part of their path to integration from their country of origin starting this autumn.
This is the first step by the Flemish government to move towards compulsory integration from the country of origin, as provided for in the regional and community government agreement (N-VA/Vooruit/CD&V). Eventually, migrants may need to prove they have completed the course before receiving a visa. However, that decision will require cooperation with the Federal government, which controls migration policy.
While the decision by the Flemish government was made on Friday, the Integration Minister Hilde Crevits (CD&V) provided details to the press on Tuesday.
The initial integration step involves a social orientation course that will be offered digitally starting next autumn. The online course is designed to help newcomers better understand Flemish society, values, and norms. "This will help increase self-reliance and make it easier for migrants to access our labour market", said Crevits.
The course is not a language class, but a self-study guide on everyday life in Flanders. It will be available digitally in several languages and followed up remotely by an adviser based in Belgium.
The course is offered to them as soon as they submit their visa application. Upon arrival, the integration process continues.
The idea builds on past pilot projects with Arabic-speaking migrants from Morocco, Lebanon, and Jordan, which showed promising results, according to Crevits. However, the agency behind the initiative warns of possible challenges ahead, including financial and logistical demands.
This article was updated at 13:41 with more details.
