Flanders: Moroccan and Turkish youth unemployment decreasing

Unemployment of youth of Moroccan and Turkish origins has gone down by 39% in 13 central Flemish cities in the past two years. This decrease is even sharper than that of Europeans and non-immigrant Belgians, says sociologist Jan Hertogen.

Hertogen bases his findings on data from the Flemish service aimed at finding employment (Vlaamse Dienst voor Arbeidsbemiddeling en Beroepsopleiding, VDAB). The unemployment in Flanders has gone down by 23% since June 2005. by Flemish youth under 25 the decrease was 37% and in the 13 Flemish major cities it was even 39%.

In that same period, unemployment by Moroccan and Turkish youth under 25 went down by 38% (1,761 to 1,157) and in the 13 cities it was 39%. By the male youth the decrease was 44%, and by the females 35%.

The decrease was most spectacular in Oostende, with 60% decrease in youth unemployment. By non-European youth the unemployment went down by 61% and by Turkish and Moroccan youth by 58%. Oostende also has the lower immigrant total among the unemployed, having 14% non-Europeans and 2% Moroccan and Turkish youth.

The total number of non-European unemployed youth (the so called "new Belgians" included) went down between May 2005 and May 2007 in Antwerp (32%), Ghent (32%) and Mechelen (35%). These three central cities accounted for almost half the immigrant youth in Flanders that had found work.

Source: HLN (Dutch), Jan Hertogen study (Dutch)

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