Podcast | Workforce WorldView

    Navigating Updates to Belgian Business Immigration Law – Is Your Company Prepared?

    August 2025
    Region: Europe
    Featuring:

    Belgium is streamlining its business immigration law while tightening eligibility for Belgian work visas. We join Rob Hermans and Marga Caproni as they explore recent Belgian immigration law changes at the federal and regional levels.

     

    A few key takeaways from the discussion:

    What’s changing in Belgian business immigration law?

    At the federal level, expect a new multi-entry visa for short stays. For long-term Belgian work permits, regional and federal authorities will review applications simultaneously to speed up processing. The Flemish region has already introduced a fast track for highly qualified applicants applying for a single permit.

    The single permit – what is it, and how is it processed?

    The single permit is a combined work and residence permit. It’s processed by the regional and federal authorities, with each application requiring approval from the regional Ministry of Economy and Work and the federal Foreigners Office.

    What’s new for highly qualified workers applying for a Belgian work visa?

    To attract top talent, the Flemish government has introduced a fast track for single permits for highly qualified applicants, reducing processing of applications to 15 days for their part of the process. However, stricter requirements add additional complexity to Belgian work permits, as applicants must now demonstrate their higher degree (which gives them access to the simplified procedure) is essential to their role.

    What about lower- and medium-skilled workers?

    The latest changes in the Flemish region mean it will no longer be possible to obtain a single permit for lower-skilled workers, with priority given to Belgian and EU citizens for these jobs. The process will also be stricter for medium-skilled workers, who must pass a more extensive labour market test.

    How will employers be affected by the Belgian immigration law changes?

    Tougher Belgium visa requirements will make it harder to support Belgium visa applications. For medium-skilled workers, you must show that no suitable local candidates are available – even after offering on-the-job training – before recruiting overseas. For highly qualified roles, you’ll need to prove the job requires the applicant’s specific qualifications.

    Why should employers prepare for the changes – and how can we help?

    Keeping up with evolving Belgium visa requirements – which vary across the regions – can improve your success with Belgium visa applications when hiring outside the EU. Listen to our podcast for further insights on how these Belgian immigration changes could impact your employment strategy – or contact our Labour & Employment team for tailored advice on how to prepare.

    Featuring

    Rob Hermans Brussels
    Marga Caproni Brussels

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