Which Brussels aids are about to disappear?
The Government of the Brussels-Capital Region is continuing its reform of employment aids to simplify and rationalise public spending.
Two schemes are directly affected:
- The target group reduction for elderly workers
- The Activa Brussels premium
These measures currently help reduce the cost of certain recruitments in the Brussels-Capital Region.
The target group reduction for elderly workers will be abolished on 1 July 2025
Currently, in the Brussels-Capital Region, a worker aged at least 61 years and at most 66 years on the last day of the quarter is generally entitled to a G1 target group reduction of 1,000 euros per quarter. This is a direct ONSS relief that reduces the cost of certain workers already in service.
This target group reduction is expected to end on 1 July 2026 and will no longer be applied from the 3rd quarter of 2026, including for employers who already benefit from it. In practice, if you currently include this aid in your payroll budget, you should already plan for its possible disappearance.
For more information: « Elderly workers (ONSS reduction) »
Gradual end of the Activa Brussels premium
The activa.brussels scheme is gradually disappearing. If you are considering a recruitment with this aid, you should act quickly and check without delay whether your file can still qualify under the current rules.
Currently, this measure can still offer a significant financial advantage. Depending on the profile of the worker concerned, the allowance can reach 15,900 euros over 30 months or 23,400 euros over 36 months, especially for certain jobseekers who are further from the labour market. The end of the scheme could therefore have a direct impact on the cost of your ongoing or future recruitments.
At this stage, the planned scenario is as follows: you can still submit new requests until 15 July 2026. After that, files already accepted will continue to have effect during a transitional period until 31 December 2026 inclusive. From 1 January 2027, the scheme will then end definitively.
These changes are part of a broader reform of employment aids
The Brussels reform is not an isolated case.
At the federal level, several important changes to employment aids are also planned from 1 July 2026. The federal government is notably considering abolishing certain target group reductions as well as reforming the first engagement target group reduction.
In Wallonia, several regional schemes will gradually disappear and be replaced by a new single incentive: Incitant Job Plus.
The following aids are affected:
- Impulsion
- SESAM
- SINE
- Tremplin 24 months+
The aim is to simplify the range of employment aids and make it easier for employers to understand.
Are these measures already official?
Not yet.
Regarding the target group reduction for elderly workers, the project still needs to be adopted in second and final reading by the Brussels Government.
Regarding Activa Brussels, the legislative texts still need to be drafted and then discussed in the Brussels Parliament.
Until these procedures are completed, the announced details may still change. They do not yet have definitive legal status.
We will keep you informed of the progress of the legislative process via Lex4You.
What does Securex do for you?
Our experts closely monitor reforms of employment aids at both regional and federal levels.
We assist you with:
- Checking whether your current recruitments still qualify for existing schemes
- Assessing the financial impact of the disappearance of certain aids
- Identifying available alternatives
- Informing you of future measures that will replace current schemes
- Adapting your recruitment strategy to the new rules
For any further information or questions, do not hesitate to contact your Legal Advisor by e-mail at myHR@securex.be.
Sources?
- Brussels budget of March 2026
- Activa.brussels certificate | Actiris
