The report "Improving the Economic Migration Framework to Attract and Retain Qualified Talent in Flanders", published in March 2025, was prepared by the OECD in cooperation with the European Commission and the Flemish authorities. It aims to support ongoing efforts to attract and retain skilled workers in Flanders by identifying strengths and weaknesses in the current system and proposing areas for reform. The report is based on extensive consultations with stakeholders across the region and includes new empirical insights into the outcomes of economic migrants in Flanders.

The report highlights several key findings, including:

• The Flemish labour market remains structurally tight: Despite targeted activation policies and reskilling efforts, labour supply is unable to meet demand across many sectors and skill levels. This imbalance is expected to persist due to unfavourable demographic trends.
   

• The current labour migration system does not fully meet market needs: The single permit procedure is seen as complex, slow, and unpredictable, limiting the ability of employers to attract international talent—especially for lower-skilled occupations.
   

• The retention of non-EU labour migrants is low. Although most are successfully employed, the majority leave Flanders within a few years, reducing their long-term contribution to the labour market.
   

• The use of temporary labour through posting is increasing: This more flexible route bypasses the regular permit system but complicates enforcement of labour standards and weakens worker protection.
   

• Support measures for integration remain underdeveloped: Barriers related to the recognition of qualifications, access to housing, and access to information on rights hinder the long-term settlement and participation of labour migrants in Flemish society.

The report also highlights several recommendations, including:

• Designate and empower a coordinating authority for talent attraction and retention: Flanders should assign a clear mandate to one entity—or a coordinated body involving WEWIS, VDAB, FIT, and other relevant stakeholders—to develop and lead a comprehensive talent attraction and retention strategy. This entity should be structurally resourced, empowered to coordinate across policy domains, and tasked with drafting an actionable Horizontal Policy Plan.
   
• Improve data infrastructure to support evidence-based policymaking: A dedicated working group under the lead organisation should identify key data gaps and establish mechanisms to collect and integrate demographic, labour market, and migration-related data. This would enable regular monitoring, forecasting of labour shortages, and evaluation of policy outcomes.
   
• Ensure a more responsive and transparent Migration Shortage Occupation List (SOL) process: The SOL should be updated more frequently based on a transparent consultation process involving employers, sector representatives and other stakeholders. Evidence-based proposals for inclusion or exclusion of occupations should be reviewed regularly, and SOL validity should be extended for structurally listed occupations.
   
• Simplify and speed up work and residence permit procedures: It is important to make the processing of work and residence permit applications easier and faster for international talent. This can be done by improving coordination between regional and federal administrations and ensuring clear, transparent communication with employers and applicants throughout the process. 

For further details, please read the report attached below.