Flemish government takes next step towards integration trajectories in countries of origin
On 6 June 2025, the Flemish Government approved a communication advancing the development of pre-arrival integration trajectories for newcomers from their countries of origin. This step follows earlier pilot projects and aims to better prepare family reunification and labour migrants for life in Flanders through a digital societal orientation course.
The communication approved by the Flemish Government is linked to the 2024–2029 Flemish Government Agreement and the related policy note on integration and inburgering. It follows three pilot projects carried out in 2024 with participants from Morocco, Lebanon, and Jordan. These pilots, which were analysed in a report published in May 2025, provided valuable insights into the target groups, course content, and organisation, which informed the current communication.
The communication outlines the launch of fully digital pre-arrival integration trajectories from autumn 2025. These trajectories are designed for newcomers who are still abroad, have applied for a long-term residence visa for Belgium, and plan to register in a Dutch-speaking municipality or in bilingual Brussels. The societal orientation course, offered as a digital self-study package in the participant’s native language, covers a basic module on life in Belgium, rights and duties, and norms and values, plus a module tailored to the migrant’s profile. Labour migrants receive information on labour law and social security, while family migrants focus on healthcare, education, and labour market access. The course progress is monitored remotely by a coach who provides support and information about subsequent steps after arrival, ensuring continuity with the existing Flemish integration trajectory.
The current legal framework for integration, specifically the Decree of 7 June 2013 on Flemish integration and inburgering policy, provides the basis for integration offers in countries of origin. However, this decree must be amended to include persons who have applied for, but not yet received, a long-term residence visa, as the current definition only covers those who already hold such a visa. Moreover, the pre-arrival trajectory should be formally anchored in the decree as part of the overall integration process, rather than being treated merely as an introductory or information package.
The approved communication thus tasks the Minister for Integration and Inburgering with preparing the necessary regulatory changes and submitting them to the Flemish Government for approval.
For more information, please consult (in Dutch) the press release by Minister Hilde Crevits and the official communication approved by the Flemish Government.