Belgium

Work Assignment

(rather short-term, ie some months to three years, contract and social security as far as possible abroad and intended return to origin)

Residence and work permit or single permit

In case of a work assignment the company in Belgium has to initiate (i) a work permit and residence permit (in case the third country national will work in Belgium for maximum 90 days) or (ii) single permit procedure (in case the third country national will work in Belgium for more than 90 days) by submitting the application. The company in Belgium will in principle have to carry out a labour market survey (a.o. provide evidence that it cannot find an employee on the Belgian labour market to fill the vacancy within a reasonable period of time) unless the third country national is an employee exempted from the labour market survey. The most relevant exemptions are: ⁠

• (i) ‘high skilled employees’: they must a.o. have a recognized higher education degree and their salary must be above a certain minimum (e.g. at least EUR 46,632 gross/year in Flanders and EUR 50,310 in Wallonia and in Brussels – amount for 2024 and indexed each year);
  
  
• (ii) ‘Managers’: they must a.o. manage the company, must be responsible for day-to-day management, must be authorized to represent the company and their salary must be above a certain minimum (e.g. at least EUR 74,611 gross/year in Flanders and EUR 83,936 gross in Wallonia and in Brussels – amounts for 2024 and indexed each year).

Employment Immigration

(rather long-term or indefinite, local contract and social security)

Blue Card

The Blue Card is a residence title allowing high-skilled third-country nationals to work in Belgium. In order to be granted a Blue Card, applicants need to possess an academic degree (that is acknowledged by local authorities) and an employment contract setting out a gross salary of or above a specified minimum amount. In detail, the Blue Card is a title specifically addressed to highly qualified individuals who (i) hold either a Belgian university or college degree or a recognized or comparable foreign university or college degree of at least three years and (ii) have a concrete job offer for adequate employment in Belgium of at least one year with an annual salary of at least EUR 55,958 gross (in Flanders) or EUR 65,054 gross (in Wallonia and in Brussels) (amounts for 2024; indexed each year). The Blue Card requires a Belgian employment contract and an employment relationship being subject to all mandatory provisions of the Belgian social security system