Programmes and schemes for cross-border mobility

Belgium 

The VPT – Working holiday visa (Programme vacances travail) programme, which provides young Belgian people aged 18-30 with the opportunity to leave Belgium for a year to get to know and work in another country via a simplified visa; Belgium has signed agreements to this end with Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Taiwan.

French-speaking Community of Belgium (Brussels and Wallonia)

The International Youth Office (BIJ) is the main public agency mandated by decree to coordinate youth mobility. It helps young people secure funding for their projects abroad. Among the various programs offered by the BIJ, several provide opportunities for young people to gain professional or entrepreneurial experience internationally:

• The “Quebec Curriculum” program supports young people aged 16 to 35 in carrying out a professional project in Quebec, Canada.
• The Artichok program assists young professional artists with their international projects, such as participating in a foreign festival, competition, or other artistic events abroad.
• The Entrechok program offers young entrepreneurs aged 20 to 35 the chance to undertake an international mission to develop their entrepreneurial projects. Examples include participating in a business fair abroad or attending specialized training that is not available in Wallonia or Brussels.
• Tremplin Job enables young people to undertake internships abroad, while Tremplin+ targets young employees seeking to change careers or explore a new professional activity.
• Eurodyssée, created by the Assembly of European Regions, allows recent graduates aged 18 to 30 to complete an internship in Europe. The BIJ manages the program for young people from Wallonia, while Actiris, the Brussels Employment Public Service, oversees participants living in Brussels.

Wallonia 

FOREM, the Walloon employment and training public service, offers several programs to support the international mobility of young people and job seekers in Wallonia, including mobility grants and exemptions from job search requirements for internships abroad.

• Exemption for internships abroad: Job seekers in Wallonia can request an exemption from job search requirements if the internship is considered to improve their chances of professional integration.
• Mobility grants: Forem provides grants for language immersions or internships abroad, offering financial support for periods of up to 12 weeks.
• Explort Program: Developed in partnership with AWEX, this program focuses on training in international trade and language immersion, with internships conducted abroad.

Brussels

• Actiris International is the international placement service of the Brussels Employment Public Service, Actiris. Its main mission is to help young job seekers from Brussels secure positions or internships abroad.

Legal framework

There is no specific legal framework for the cross-border mobility of young workers, trainees and entrepreneurs. Most of the legal framework targets the population in general.

However, a legal framework for cross-border mobility of young workers, trainees and entrepreneurs depends on the international juridical context. Belgium have bilateral or multilateral agreements with other countries. The agreements allow Belgian social rights to be exported abroad. The social rights of young workers, trainees and young entrepreneurs who stay in the European Economic Area or Switzerland are determined by European legislation.