Moroccan Workers Stand Out in Belgium’s Largely Domestic Healthcare Workforce

According to data from a study conducted by Acerta Consult, one worker in twelve (8.3%) is of foreign nationality in the healthcare sector. The share of foreign workers in this sector has increased by 33% over the past seven years, reports Belga.

Among these, Moroccans are found working in Belgian hospitals, rehabilitation centers and nursing homes, the study points out, noting that "several reasons explain why the share of non-Belgians in healthcare remains lower than the average compared to other sectors."

The firm cited, among other things, linguistic and cultural differences and the requirement of a specific diploma, as according to the survey, certifications obtained outside the European Union must be approved. "That’s where things tend to go wrong," notes Laura Couchard, HR expert at Acerta Consult.

For the manager, "the greater presence of workers of different nationality in our healthcare sector is a good thing as well as a logical evolution, given migration. The labor shortage also leads healthcare institutions to seek to recruit staff beyond national borders."