Walloon candidates are less likely to be hired
In an experimental study among Flemish recruiters operating near the language border, the researchers tested whether candidates perceived as Walloon are less likely than Flemish candidates to be invited for an interview or hired. Recruiters evaluated the CVs of fictitious school-leavers that varied in, among other characteristics, name, place of birth, place of residence, location of secondary education, and language proficiency.
Although all candidates met the language requirements of the fictitious vacancies, recruiters were markedly less inclined to invite or hire a candidate they identified as Walloon.

“Even when Walloon candidates fully meet expectations in terms of language and education, Flemish employers systematically offer them fewer opportunities than comparable Flemish candidates. This form of discrimination has so far received little attention in the Belgian labour market."
Louise Devos, PhD researcher in labour economics (Ghent University)

Negative perceptions of productivity and cooperation
Beyond interview and hiring probabilities, recruiters were asked to rate candidates on a set of productivity-related attributes, and to indicate how willing they, their colleagues and their clients would be to work with the candidate. This design maps onto the two dominant frameworks for explaining labour market discrimination: statistical and taste-based discrimination.

With respect to statistical (productivity-related) discrimination, Walloon applicants are perceived as (1) less ambitious, (2) less available when needed, (3) less skilled in dealing with others, (4) less responsible, and (5) less punctual.
"Their productivity is further discounted on the grounds that they would accomplish less, communicate less effectively, be less pleasant to interact with, be less mature, show less respect for authority, and be less motivated. As is always the case with statistical discrimination, we cannot rule out that some of these stigmas correspond to actual differences between Flemish and Walloon workers as groups. Denying an individual applicant opportunities on that basis is nonetheless neither lawful nor ethical."
Stijn Baert, Professor of Labour Economics (Ghent University)

As regards taste-based discrimination, employers reported being less willing to work with Walloon than with Flemish candidates, and expected colleagues and clients to share that reluctance.

Implications: strategic CV design and a structural barrier to mobility
Discrimination on the basis of regional origin constitutes an additional barrier for Walloon jobseekers wishing to work in Flanders, and impedes precisely the mobility that Belgian employment services actively seek to promote. In the experiment, employers inferred candidates' Walloon identity from cues such as name, place of birth, place of residence, location of secondary education, and language proficiency. Walloon jobseekers may therefore improve their prospects by omitting certain regional cues from their CV — for instance, listing the degree obtained without naming the awarding institution.

"The Flemish labour market has been overheated for some time. Part of the strong demand for labour could be met by looking to jobseekers south of the language border — that, too, is labour migration. Yet Flemish recruiters are unconvinced of their potential, which hampers the interregional mobility that is needed. Walloon jobseekers would do well to counter the stigmas our study uncovers by foregrounding (genuine) ambition, responsibility or punctuality."
Louis Lippens, Postdoctoral researcher in labour economics (Ghent University)

Information
The full study is published in the Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies and available here. The study is the result of a collaboration between Louise Devos (first author), Dr. Louis Lippens, Dagmar Claus and Prof. Stijn Baert, all of Ghent University.