Belgium, formally known as the Kingdom of Belgium, is a Western European country with a population of 11,420,163 people. The Dutch, Spanish, French, and Austrian ruled various portions of today’s Belgium, leaving behind a rich history and architecture.
The country is home to some of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations, including Antwerp’s astonishingly attractive medieval city, the Archaeological Museum of Arlon, and much more
The country came in first place in Universum’s Global Workforce Happiness Index. Norway, Costa Rica, Denmark, and South Africa are all behind Belgian employees.
Employee happiness was measured based on work satisfaction, employer recommends ability, and corporate loyalty in the study. A satisfied employee sees the organization as an excellent place to work and has no desire to leave. With employee turnover rates on the rise, having a happy workforce has become critical for businesses.
Now that you know the many benefits of living and working in Belgium, you will not just flinch an eyelid and land there. You have to make plans and get ready to enjoy the best of everything that it offers.
Work visa
Certain countries require a Belgian work permit to legally live and work in the country and depending on the length of stay in Belgium, a Belgian residency permit may also be necessary. There are three types of Belgian work permits, as well as exemptions, depending on the conditions of your job in Belgium.
The Belgian work visa solely depends on the status of your residency in the country; as a result, you will almost certainly need to find work before applying for any type of permit to live and work in Belgium. Before applying for a residence or work visa in Belgium, or to check if you qualify for another type, it is recommended that you first acquire a job, start a business, or work as a self-employed worker in Belgium.
There are three types, and which one you require is determined by your circumstances. The many types of work permits are described here.
Permit A
This is a work authorization. A is valid for all employers and paid vocations in Belgium, and it is valid indefinitely, meaning you can work for any employer in Belgium for any amount of time, with stricter criteria. In most cases, the employee must put in effort on their own.
You are required to prove that you have worked B Belgian work permit for at least 4 years to obtain a Type A visa, this should be within a ten-year valid stay in Belgium. Uninterrupted means spending no more than one year outside of Belgium between your Belgian residency terms.
Some workers are not eligible for a type A Belgian permit, such as:
- Highly skilled workers
- Au pairs
- Trainees
- Workers on temporary assignment
- Researchers and guest professors
- Specialized technicians
- Family members of type B permit holders are self-employed or do not require work permits.
Permit B
Regardless of the length of your working contract, a Belgian work visa B is given for a specific job for a specific employer for a maximum time of up to 12 months. This permit, however, can be renewed if you still meet the requirements.
Employers are responsible for obtaining a Type B visa for their employees. Only the sponsoring company and the position mentioned in the application are eligible for this work permit. In theory, a foreign worker can only work in Belgium if a labor market test shows that no appropriate candidate can be located in the Belgian or EEA labor market in a fair amount of time.
However, certain types of workers, such as researchers, highly qualified professionals, and technological experts, can acquire a work visa without having to pass a labor market test. Employers can also use the type B work visa to hire long-term residents from other EU countries if the position is identified as one of these shortage occupations.
Permit C
A Belgium work permit C is for foreign individuals who are only living in Belgium for a short period of time, such as students or family members of consular officials, or whose right to stay has not been established, such as asylum applicants. It permits holders to work for pay in any profession and for any sort of labor contract for the duration of their residence permit, this affords them the same work opportunities as Belgian nationals and the validity is for a year. The renewal depends on the fulfillment of certain criteria
