In Wallonia, a scheme exists to support foreign nationals (from outside the European Union and equivalent countries) who have been resident here for less than three years and hold a residence permit of more than three months: this is the integration pathway. A free programme comprising a welcome module, French-language training, citizenship training, and, if necessary, referral to a suitable socio-professional integration scheme.
A lack of monitoring
Valérie Bluge (MR) questioned Minister Coppieters (Les Engagés) on the monitoring of this pathway: what is the situation regarding enrolments, and what is the minister's view on drop-outs or failures in obtaining the certificate?
“Monitoring the French-language course is more complicated, as participation in it depends on the results of a placement test. Adding together both types of certificate, in 2024, 3,498 people received their end-of-pathway certificate,” explains the MP
Otherwise, it is not possible to collect the figures for technical reasons. Nor is it possible to provide an exact number of people referred to a socio-professional integration scheme.
“A logic of effectiveness”
“These are key elements enabling foreign nationals to integrate into our society, work and achieve social emancipation,” Valérie Bluge continues. “From this perspective, mastering French is an essential pillar and an indispensable prerequisite for accessing employment. In Flanders, the schemes have been revised and are, from the outset, geared towards developing professional skills. This model could inspire us in Wallonia, because we can no longer be satisfied with simply saying that we are doing something: we need to adopt a logic of effectiveness from the very start.”