
Public employment and training aid in Belgium

In Belgium, each region offers specific schemes to support hiring and training.
ABV Development assists companies in identifying available employment and training aid based on their location and situation. Our team analyzes eligibility, prepares applications in compliance with funding body requirements, and handles administrative procedures until subsidies are obtained.
Two main areas: employment aid (employer social security contribution reductions, hiring bonuses, integration support) and training aid (cost co-financing, training vouchers, integration plans).
Employment aid : schemes available by region

Walloon Region
Effective July 1, 2026, Wallonia will replace several schemes (Impulsion, Tremplin, SESAM, SINE) with a single incentive: Job Plus. The aid amounts to €1,000 per month per full-time employee, with an additional €200 for SMEs with fewer than 20 FTEs. Main conditions: registration with FOREM, residency in Wallonia, employment for at least 3 months at a minimum of half-time.

Brussels-Capital Region
Brussels offers several employment support schemes: the activa.brussels allowance, the activa.brussels training incentive, the Stage First program, and targeted ONSS reductions for older workers and specific sectors.

Flemish Region
Flanders has a set of targeted measures: target group reductions (Doelgroepverminderingen), the individual inclusion scheme (Individueel maatwerk) combining a wage premium and a coaching premium, as well as the employment bonus (Jobbonus).
Training support : schemes available by region

Wallonia offers several schemes depending on the worker's status and the intended goal. For employees: the Training Voucher, the Adaptation Credit (including its Mentoring component), and the Professional Experience Fund. To train a prospective employee within a company: the Training-Integration Plan (PFI). For worker-initiated training: the Paid Education Leave. Sectoral funds complement this scheme. Furthermore, under certain conditions, employers can retain up to 11.75% of the professional withholding tax on the salaries of employees undergoing non-mandatory training, provided it is of sufficient duration and fully funded by the employer.
- Training Voucher / Adaptation Credit / Professional Experience Fund
- Training-Integration Plan (PFI)
- Paid Education Leave
- Service Voucher Training Fund / Sectoral Funds
- Partial exemption from professional withholding tax for training (up to 11.75%)
Brussels offers the Training Grant, accessible to eligible Brussels SMEs. It covers 40% to 80% of training costs, with a maximum of €5,000 per training course. Eligible topics include economic development, transition, languages, management, technical and legal matters. Increased funding is possible depending on the company's profile (starter, development zone, social or environmental exemplary status). Applications must be submitted via MonBEE before the training begins.
- Coverage: 40% to 80% of costs (up to €5,000 per training course)
- Topics: economic development, transition, languages, management, technical, legal
- Increased funding possible based on company profile
- Application to be submitted via MonBEE before the start of the training
Flanders has several support mechanisms. VLAIO's Strategische Transformatiesteun (STS) supports strategic transformation projects combining investments and training: the aid can cover up to 20% of accepted training costs, with a maximum amount of €500,000.
The KMO-portefeuille subsidizes professionalization training for Flemish SMEs (topics: strategy, digitalization, sustainability, internationalization, specific skills). Applications must be submitted within 14 days of the start of the courses to a registered provider. Sectoral funds offer additional leverage: free or subsidized training, sectoral grants, planning support.
- STS VLAIO: up to 20% of training costs (max €500,000)
- KMO-portefeuille: strategy, digitalization, sustainability, internationalization
- KMO-portefeuille deadline: application within 14 days after course start
- Sectoral funds: free or subsidized training, sectoral grants
Frequently asked questions
As of July 1, 2026, Wallonia will replace several schemes (Impulsion, Tremplin, SESAM, SINE) with a single incentive: Job Plus. This aid provides €1,000 per month per full-time employee, with an additional €200 for SMEs with fewer than 20 FTEs, subject to conditions of registration with FOREm, residency in Wallonia, and employment for at least 3 months on a minimum half-time basis.
The Training Grant is available to Brussels SMEs in an eligible sector. It covers 40% to 80% of training costs, with a cap of €5,000 per training course. Applications must be submitted before the start of the training via MonBEE.
The KMO-portefeuille subsidizes professional training courses for SMEs located in Flanders. As of February 1, 2026, the consulting component will be discontinued (excluding cybersecurity), but the training component remains accessible for topics such as strategy, digitalization, sustainability, and internationalization. Applications must be submitted within 14 days of the start of the courses.
Employers can, under certain conditions, retain up to 11.75% of the professional withholding tax on the salaries of employees undergoing training. The training must be non-mandatory, of sufficient duration, and fully funded by the employer.
ABV Development identifies eligible recruitments and training programs, prepares comprehensive applications that meet the requirements of funding bodies, and optimizes requests to secure available aid — from preliminary analysis to the successful acquisition of subsidies.