Upon leaving school, unemployment registration is an administrative procedure that every student must undertake. Registration enables them to preserve their right to social security, while remaining temporarily covered by their parents' mutual. Unemployment registration also has other advantages such as the possibility of landing a subsidized job, which for the employer means reduced social contributions or else premiums for hiring.

Up until 1989, unemployment registration had to be done at the ONEM (National Employment Office). Yet passage of the Special Act of August 8, 1980 on institutional reform led to a division of powers at the regional, community and national level. This division took effect in 1989. ONEM retains jurisdiction over managing unemployment insurance while functions delegated to the regions (placement of job-seekers) or communities (occupational training of job-seekers and workers) became the responsibility of newly created organizations:

	Employment	Training
Walloon region	FOREM	FOREM
Flemish region	VDAB1	VDAB
German-speaking community	ADG2	ADG
Brussels capital region (French-speaking)	ORBEM3	Brussels Formation
Brussels capital region (Dutch-speaking)	BGDA4	VDAB

¹Vlaams Dienst voor Arbeidsbemiddeling en Beroepsopleiding [Flemish Employment and Office Service]

²Arbeitsamt der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft [German-speaking Community Employment Office]

³Office Régional Bruxellois de l'Emploi [Brussels Regional Employment Office]

⁴BrusselsenGewestelijke Dienst voor Arbeidsbemiddeling [Brussels Employment Office]