This conference will explore European and Dutch experiences in supporting the early integration of applicants for international protection, with a particular focus on employment, language learning and cultural orientation. Drawing on the findings of a new EMN Inform, the event will bring together policymakers, experts and practitioners to discuss different national approaches, implementation challenges and good practices across Europe.

The Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled on the compatibility of a national residence requirement with EU equal treatment rules. The Court examined whether a 10-year residence condition could be applied to beneficiaries of international protection in order to access a social benefit. It found that the measure constitutes indirect discrimination prohibited under EU law.

DUO for a JOB has launched a national awareness campaign highlighting the persistence of discrimination in recruitment processes in Belgium. The initiative uses the format of the well-known game “Guess Who?” to illustrate how candidates may still be excluded on the basis of appearance, name, origin or accent rather than skills. The campaign is being rolled out in May across public spaces, including stations and metro networks in several Belgian cities.

On 20 March 2026, the Belgian Council of Ministers approved a draft law that would link the level of social assistance granted to beneficiaries of subsidiary and temporary protection to their participation in integration efforts through the Individual Social Integration Project (ISIP). Under the proposal, the amount of social assistance could be adjusted depending on the efforts made by the beneficiary to integrate.

From 1 January 2026, the Onder1Dak project, which promotes co-housing between private homeowners and recognised refugees in Flanders, has restarted following renewed support from the Flemish Minister for Civic Integration and Integration. The initiative aims to facilitate access to housing while supporting the social and professional integration of recognised refugees.

EMN Malta, in collaboration with the Human Rights Directorate, organises a conference on intersectional integration. The aim is to discuss the need for an intersectional approach in policies, strategies and services relating to migrants who, as a non-homogeneous category, have multiple identities.

The European Migration Network organizes a webinar to present its recently published study on "Integration of applicants for international protection in the labour market". Limitations, challenges and good practices will be highlighted and discussed.

The European Migration Network (EMN) Glossary is an essential resource, which offers an EU-wide multidisciplinary vocabulary of approximately 500 terms and concepts related to asylum and migration. Let's focus today on the term "access to employment" to make sure we have a common understanding and use of the term!

For 10 years now, the Duo for a Job association has aimed inter alia to help eliminate inequalities in access to the labour market for young people with a migrant background. Results are conclusive as seven out of ten young people successfully find a stable job, an internship or training that leads them to the job they initially wanted.

Today, the European Migration Network (EMN) Belgium was invited to present the results of an upcoming publication to members of the Flemish Agency for Internal Affairs as well as to take part in a coordination meeting between the four integration contact points in Belgium (for Flanders, Wallonia, Brussels, and the German-speaking community).

As part of his “Turbo Plan”, Flemish Minister for the Interior and Civic Integration, Bart Somers (Open VLD) wants newly-arrived third-country nationals without a high school diploma to undergo training in order to be able to practice a bottleneck profession. This training would be part of the civic integration programme.

At today’s Tent Partnership for Refugees' European Business Summit in Paris, 41 leading companies have collectively announced ambitious commitments to provide over 250,000 Ukrainian refugee women and other refugees with jobs and training across Europe. The commitments being made will strengthen companies’ workforces, fill labor gaps, and boost European economies.

Today a social profit fair took place in Antwerp as part of the project “Every talent counts (in social profit)”. At these regional social profit fairs, persons with a migratory background are put into contact with diversity-oriented employers, training institutions, and supporting organizations such as VDAB and the Agency for Integration and Civic Integration.

The First Rome Dialogue on Jobs and Migration will focus on the Labour market integration of refugees and asylum seekers. It will discuss the pros and cons of different schemes, including some new hybrid alternatives that are being tested.

The meeting put institutional stakeholders and the private sector around the table, to exchange experiences and knowledge regarding the future EU Talent Pool and other databases.