Immigrant labour market participation in Belgium - high time to mainstream. IES Policy Brief 2015/2 • March 2015

Adam, Ilke and Van Dijk, Mathijs (2015) Immigrant labour market participation in Belgium - high time to mainstream. IES Policy Brief 2015/2 • March 2015. [Policy Paper]

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Abstract

The gap in labour market participation between natives and people with an immigrant background is significant in Belgium, one of the largest in the OECD. In this Policy Brief, we present research1 that investigated one of the possible causes of this poor performance, and we propose three main policy recommendations. The research project studied whether Belgium’s complex federal state structure, and the subsequent division of responsibilities and lack of intergovernmental cooperation helps to explain this poor performance. The study concluded that governance complexity does not appear to be a main cause for Belgium’s poor results. However, more policy coordination would improve policy efficiency. Issue 2015/2 • March 2015 can be found. The research also investigated what opportunities could arise from the sixth Belgian state reform to promote labour market participation of people with an immigrant background. After presenting

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