Hiring Grants Belgium — Subsidies for Employment
Belgian grants for hiring, training, and growing your team. Discover regional and federal employment subsidies for first hires, training costs, target group hiring, and wage cost reductions.
Find my hiring grantsWhat hiring grants cover
First hire subsidies
Reduced social security contributions and direct subsidies when hiring your first employees as a new employer in Belgium.
Training costs
Grants covering employee training, upskilling, and professional development programs through regional voucher systems.
Target group hiring
Enhanced subsidies for hiring youth under 26, long-term unemployed, workers with disabilities, and older employees over 55.
Wage cost reduction
Structural reductions in employer social security contributions and regional activation premiums that lower the total cost of employment.
Top hiring grants in Belgium
The most impactful employment subsidies available to Belgian companies in 2025.
VLAIO KMO-portefeuille training
Up to €15,000/year
Training vouchers for Flemish SMEs covering up to 30% of costs for accredited training programs and business coaching.
Activa work incentive (Brussels)
Up to €15,900
Activation premium for Brussels employers hiring long-term unemployed jobseekers, paid as a monthly wage subsidy.
Win-win loan for employment
Up to €200,000
Subordinated loans at reduced interest rates for Flemish SMEs to finance growth-related hiring and team expansion.
Federal first hire support
Up to €4,000/quarter
Significant reduction in employer social security contributions for the first six employees hired by new employers.
VDAB training subsidies
Variable
Subsidized on-the-job training, internships, and competency-building programs for newly hired employees in Flanders.
Forem Wallonia employment aid
Up to €12,000
Employment activation aid for Walloon employers hiring registered jobseekers, with enhanced rates for target groups.
Hiring grants by region
Who qualifies for hiring grants?
Registered Belgian employer
Your company must be registered as an employer in Belgium with active ONSS/RSZ registration and a valid KBO/BCE number.
Compliant with labour law
You must be compliant with Belgian labour regulations, social security obligations, and have no outstanding ONSS/RSZ debts.
Eligible hire profile
Many grants require the hired person to meet specific criteria: registered jobseeker, specific age group, or target category.
Formal employment contract
The position must be based on a formal employment contract (not freelance) with a minimum duration depending on the program.
Frequently asked questions
Can a startup get hiring grants for its first employee?
Yes. The federal first hire support program specifically targets new employers. You get significant social security reductions for your first six hires, with the highest benefit for your very first employee.
Do hiring grants apply to part-time employees?
Yes, most Belgian hiring grants apply to both full-time and part-time contracts. However, the subsidy amount is often prorated based on the employment fraction (e.g., 50% for a half-time contract).
Can I combine multiple hiring grants for the same employee?
In many cases, yes. For example, you can combine federal first hire reductions with regional activation premiums. However, cumulation rules apply and the total aid cannot exceed the actual wage cost.
How quickly can I receive the hiring subsidy?
Federal social security reductions are applied automatically from the first payroll. Regional activation premiums like Activa typically start within 1–2 months after the hire, once the application is processed.
Do I need to use a specific recruitment channel?
For target group subsidies (Activa, Forem aid), the candidate typically needs to be registered with the regional employment service (VDAB, Actiris, or Forem). For first hire support, no specific channel is required.
Find the right hiring grants for your business
Take our 2-minute quiz or chat with Lucas, our AI grant advisor, to discover your best employment funding matches.