Work

Work permit or professional card

To work in Belgium, non-European citizens need a work permit (single or work permit) to work as employees and a professional card if they want to work as self-employed professionals.

Since the Sixth State Reform, regulating foreign workers has been the responsibility of the Regions.

For more information about the employment of foreign workers, you can consult the following websites of the regional administrations:

• Flemish Region:  https://www.vlaanderen.be/werken/in-vlaanderen-komen-werken
• Brussels-Capital Region: http://www.bruxelles.irisnet.be  
• Walloon Region http://emploi.wallonie.be (http://emploi.wallonie.be/home/travailleurs-etrangers/permis-de-travail.html)
• German-speaking Community: http://www.dglive.be  

Residence permits

Third-country nationals who have obtained a work permit (single or work permit) must also apply for authorisation to stay in Belgium for more than 90 days.

Workers residing abroad must apply for a D

an authorisation issued by a Member State or a decision taken by such State which is required with a view to entry for an intended stay in that Member State or in several Member States, or for transit through the territory of that Member State or several Member States.

(national long-stay visa) from the Belgian embassy or consulate general with jurisdiction over their residence.

Workers who are legally residing in Belgium can apply for a residence permit at the municipal administration of their residence.

_{Since 3 January 2019, all residence permits issued by Belgium feature a statement regarding access to the labour market: "Labour market: limited", "Labour market: unlimited", or "Labour market: no".}

A procedure that allows a foreigner to obtain a residence permit to join a family member legally residing in a country.

A third-country national authorised to work and reside in Belgium for more than 90 days may be accompanied or joined by his/her spouse or partner (partnership registered under a law or considered equivalent to marriage) and minor children.

The conditions and procedures for submitting a family reunification application are explained in the section dedicated to family reunification with a non-EU/EEA foreign national with limited residency.

Good to know: the procedure for granting a family reunification visa is facilitated for the spouse and minor child of a highly qualified worker, a researcher under a hosting agreement, a worker ICT and a worker whose gross monthly income is greater than €5,000, to whom the Immigration Office has granted a

Since 03/01/2019, any citizen from a non-European country who wants to stay and work more than 90 days in Belgium must be a single permit holder. The employer must apply to the competent Region (=the worker’s principal place of work). The Immigration Office and the Region handle the request together and make a decision. If the request is approved, the worker will receive a document allowing him to stay more than 90 days in Belgium for work.

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_{Categories of workers}

_{The spouse, partner (only in the case of a partnership considered equivalent to marriage in Belgium) and minor child of a worker to whom the Immigration Office grants a single permit, with authorisation for the embassy to issue a D visa with the national code B13 (researcher under hosting agreement), B29 (highly qualified worker), B37 (worker ICT) or B34 (only if the gross monthly income indicated in the employment contract is greater than €5,000) benefit from a number of administrative provisions aimed at facilitating family reunification.}

_{These more favourable provisions apply only in the following circumstances:}

• _{The family unit already exists on the date the Immigration Office grants the single permit to the worker; and}
• _{The “single permit” and “family reunification” visa applications are submitted simultaneously; or}
• _{The “family reunification” visa application is submitted within 6 months from the day the “single permit” visa is issued to the worker.}

_{First administrative provision aimed at facilitating family reunification}

_{The spouse/partner and minor child must prove that all the conditions for family reunification with a foreign national authorized to reside in Belgium for a limited period are met. However, proof that the worker will have adequate accommodation, health insurance and stable, regular and sufficient means of subsistence may be provided with documents other than those generally required.}

_{Adequate accommodation:} 

_{The spouse/partner and minor child may present any document that proves that the worker has, or will have, adequate accommodation to host his/her family in Belgium.}

_{For example, an employment contract with a housing clause, the employer's commitment to provide housing, a lease agreement (temporary housing), a (hotel) apartment reservation.}

_{Health insurance:}

_{The spouse/partner and minor child may present any document that proves that the worker has health insurance for him/herself and his/her family.}

_{For example, a clause in the employment contract stipulating that the employer agrees to take out health insurance for the worker and his/her family members.}

 _{Stable, regular and sufficient means of subsistence:}

_{The spouse/partner and minor child may present any document that proves that the worker has, or will have, means of subsistence at least equivalent to 120% of the amount referred to in article 14, § 1, 3° of the Law of 26/05/2002 on the right to social integration, i.e. €2,131.28 (net amount per month).}

_{For example, an employment contract with a salary clause, an employer's certificate explicitly mentioning the duration of the contract and stating the net monthly pay.}

_{Second administrative provision aimed at facilitating family reunification}

_{If all the conditions for family reunification are met, the embassy is exceptionally authorized to issue the family reunification visa without prior consultation with the Immigration Office, except for the following nationalities: Afghanistan, Palestine and Syria (mandatory consultation).}

_Warning:

• _{If the "family reunification" and "single permit" visa applications are not submitted simultaneously, or if the "family reunification" visa application is not submitted within 6 months from the day on which the "single permit" visa is issued to the worker, the more favourable provisions described above do not apply. Therefore, the embassy must forward the “family reunification” visa application to the Immigration Office.}

• _{If not all the conditions for family reunification are met, the embassy must forward the "family reunification" visa application to the Immigration Office.}

• _{The embassy is not authorized to issue a visa to the registered partner (partnership registered under a law) and to an adult child of the worker, his/her spouse or partner. Therefore, the embassy must forward the “family reunification” visa application to the Immigration Office.}