Flemish Training Leave Reformed Starting in September 2026: What Does This Mean for Your SME?
July 2026 - Starting in the 2026–2027 school year, the Flemish Training Leave (VOV) will undergo a major overhaul. The Flemish government aims to make the system more targeted, focus more on shortage occupations, and crack down harder on abuse.
Stricter Selection of Training Programs
The reform primarily affects which training programs are still eligible for VOV. There will be significant changes, especially for employers who organize their own training programs.
Starting September 1, 2026, in-house training programs will only be eligible for VOV if they receive a favorable recommendation from WEWIS in advance. This recommendation confirms that the training is sufficiently labor-market-oriented and meets the requirements. The application will be submitted online, either in advance or when applying for reimbursement.
In addition, Flanders aims to more clearly define what falls under “labor market-oriented training programs.” The draft decree includes the following categories, among others:
· courses in basic skills, digital skills, and Dutch for non-native speakers
· language courses in Dutch, French, German, or English, subject to certain conditions
· courses leading to a high-demand occupation
· programs focused on digital, climate, and energy transition
· STEM and technical courses
· mentoring programs and courses in social dialogue
· courses leading to a first secondary education diploma
Courses that do not fit into one of these categories will no longer qualify for VOV funding as of September 2026. The list of excluded courses will also be expanded. Mandatory courses that the employer is required to pay for anyway—such as certain social services courses—are excluded, as are necessary retraining courses designed to help employees adapt to internal changes in their current positions.
Higher Reimbursement, but Stricter Oversight
There’s also good news for your company: the flat-rate reimbursement amount is set to increase to 24.50 euros per approved VOV hour, compared to 14.91 euros in the current 2025–2026 school year.
At the same time, oversight mechanisms are being tightened. For example, the reimbursement would be less likely to be lost entirely if an employee does not diligently follow a training program: As an employer, you would still be entitled to reimbursement for the hours during which your employee was actually present.
However, this more flexible rule is balanced by a tougher stance against abuse. In the event of violations, WEWIS can suspend reimbursements. Employers who received VOV support improperly through a criminal offense risk even a temporary exclusion from reimbursement for up to 24 months, and up to 4 years in the event of a repeat offense.
A lot is changing for employees as well
Access to VOV will be expanded once again for employees: starting in September 2026, the employment threshold will be lowered again from 80% to 50%. However, the rule that training hours must coincide with work hours in certain cases will still apply.
It’s also worth noting that “retaking” a course through VOV is no longer an option: anyone who fails a training program will only be allowed to retake it once through VOV, except in cases of force majeure.
What should you do now as an SME?
For you, the message is clear: review your training policy in a timely manner. Determine which training programs are still eligible, check whether in-house training programs require a preliminary assessment, and be prepared for stricter audits of reimbursements. At the same time, the higher reimbursement rate offers opportunities to make targeted training programs more attractive to employees once again.
