Reform of Flemish training leave from 1 September 2026: What are the main changes?
Flemish training leave will undergo a major reform from 1 September 2026. Through these changes, the Flemish government aims to better align the system with training that strengthens employees’ employability and address labour market needs. The eligibility requirements for training will be amended, certain training courses will be excluded, the rules governing the number of educational leave hours will change, and the reimbursement scheme for employers will be adjusted. In this newsletter, we review the main changes.
Focus on labour market-oriented training
With this reform, the Flemish government is placing a stronger emphasis on labour market-oriented training. Only trainings that meet several conditions will continue to qualify for Flemish training leave (hereinafter: VOV).
To be eligible, the training course must belong to a defined category, have a minimum duration of 32 hours of training per year or represent 3 study credits, be provided by a registered training provider, and be registered with the competent department.
To meet the minimum requirement of 32 training hours, only training units (modules) that form part of the same training may be combined.
The focus is therefore clearly on training that enhances employees’ employability. In this context, certain language courses, STEM training (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), as well as programs leading to a first secondary education diploma will continue to qualify for VOV.
From 1 September 2026, in-company training will require a favourable prior opinion from the Department of employment. Employers will need to request this opinion through an electronic application form. Training is considered in-company training when it is exclusively accessible to employees or temporary agency workers with a specific job profile, and/or is solely focused on the employee’s current role, and/or is delivered by an instructor, trainer or coach employed by the same company.
In addition, workplace learning is now explicitly incorporated into law. This refers to a form of training in which the workplace itself serves as the learning environment. To qualify for VOV, a training plan must be drawn up in advance, and a workplace mentor must be appointed to guide and support the employee throughout the learning trajectory.
In addition, the reform clarifies which trainings will no longer qualify for VOV. Training courses that employers are legally or required on sector level to provide to enable employees to perform their duties, as well as adaptation trainings necessary for carrying out the employee’s current role, are excluded. Certain learning activities will also no longer be taken into consideration, such as mentoring a newly recruited colleague, online platforms offering training videos, and lunch & learn sessions.
More opportunities, but also new restrictions for employees
From 1 September 2026, employees will benefit from broader opportunities to make use of VOV. In addition, several existing measures will be permanently embedded in the legislation.
The entitlement to a maximum of 250 hours of VOV per training year will be structurally guaranteed when both the employee and the employer take the initiative for training. In practice, this means a maximum of 125 hours at the employee’s initiative and 125 hours at the employer’s initiative.
For the 2025-2026 academic year, employees must be employed at least 80% and work an average of 28 hours per week. From 1 September 2026, employment of at least 50% of a full-time position will be sufficient to qualify for VOV.
The rules regarding regular attendance are also being adjusted. An employee is considered to attend a training course regularly when they comply with the required attendance conditions and, where applicable, participate in the final assessment. For adult education training, EVC programs (Recognition of prior learning and competences) and examinations organized by the Examination Board, actual attendance by the employee will henceforth be considered.
In addition, taking examinations before the Examination Boards for secondary and primary education will now entitle employees to 16 hours of VOV instead of 8 hours. For trainings that do not require regular attendance, the current arrangements remain unchanged.
However, no changes are foreseen regarding the existing prohibition on combining VOV with the Flemish incentive allowance, which employees may receive when taking time-credit “to attend a recognized training”. This prohibition remains in place and will be extended to certain measures that fully cover the wage costs of the employee or their replacement.
Finally, employees will only be able to follow the same training once while retaining their entitlement to VOV. An exception may only be granted where the certificate was not obtained due to force majeure.
Stricter supervision of training providers
The Flemish government is introducing stricter supervision of training providers. Going forward, the registration of training will only be approved after the competent department has carried out an inspection.
Training providers will also be required to comply strictly with their obligations regarding certification and registration. In the event of non-compliance, an initial warning may be issued. If the provider fails to take action, the department may withdraw the registration of the training concerned.
Where a training provider fails to comply with its administrative obligations on at least two occasions, the minister may decide to remove the relevant training from the trainings database for the following academic year and prohibit the registration of new training from the same provider.
Changes to the reimbursement scheme for employers
Although the reimbursement application procedure remains unchanged, the reform introduces several important changes for employers:
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For in-company training, the prior opinion must now be registered as part of the application process.
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For employer reimbursement, the condition of regular attendance will no longer be considered. Going forward, reimbursement will be calculated based on the employee’s actual attendance hours in the trainings or participation in the final assessment that entitles the employee to VOV.
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For part-time employees with a fixed work schedule, training hours must coincide with the working hours specified in their schedule. From 1 September 2026, this rule will also apply to employees who work exclusively during the weekend.
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The flat-rate reimbursement amount will be increased significantly. From the 2026-2027 academic year, the reimbursement rate will amount to 24.50 EUR per hour of VOV, instead of 14.91 EUR per hour during the 2025-2026 academic year.
As these changes will enter into force on 1 September 2026, employers are advised to prepare in a timely manner and assess the impact on their training policies.
What can Pro-Pay do for you?
Pro-Pay can assist you in evaluating your training offer, verifying whether training complies with the new requirements, and supporting you with reimbursement applications to obtain full or partial reimbursement of wage costs within the framework of Flemish training leave (VOV).
For more information, please do not hesitate to contact us at legal@pro-pay.be.
