Moroccans Represent Majority of Non-EU Workers in Brussels, Belgium

Rabat - Non-Belgian workers represent 30% of employees in Brussels, Belgium, with France and Morocco making up the majority of the foreign workforce, demonstrated the latest survey by human resources service provider Acerta.

Brussels has the highest number of international employees in Belgium, with the number of non-Belgian workers increasing by 20% in the last five years. 

The study, which included 28,500 companies, revealed that non-Belgian employees represent 14.8 % of all employees in Belgium. 

Leading the foreign workers with European Union nationalities are French, Dutch, Romanian, and Polish workers, while Moroccan and Turkish workers make up the majority of non-European citizens.

The Moroccan diaspora living in Belgium is estimated at more than 80,000, representing the European country’s largest non-European community and fifth-largest foreign population.

Acerta highlighted the diverse Belgian labor market in terms of nationality, which has increased by slightly over one-fifth in the five past years, noting that this growth is a natural outcome given the number of immigrants moving to Belgium.

In 2020, Belgium’s immigrant population reached more than one million, the majority of which are from southern neighbor France, Italy, and Belgium’s northern neighbor, the Netherlands.

The number of non-Belgians in the labor market is increasing in almost all sectors, with the transportation and logistics sectors (32%), food industry (25.4%), and hospitality industry (19.3%) employing most foreign workers.

The report highlighted the advantages of a diverse workforce, adding that companies are more likely to attract talented employees if they broaden their recruiting horizons, because “diversity strengthens the capacity for innovation and creativity.”

In addition, a diversified workplace fosters a culture of openness and flexibility and results in a workforce that is better equipped to identify and meet the needs of the customers, added the report.

Diversity in the workforce should not be restricted to nationality alone, concluded the report, as it should also include gender, age, experience, and disability.

source: moroccoworldnews