Employment in belgium for citizens of new EU member states

Under the terms of Belgian law and international treaties, citizens of the new EEA member states (Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Rumania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the Czech Republic) are required to hold work permits.

To obtain these permits, employers located within Belgium must apply for an employment permit. Upon granting of the employment permit, a Work Permit B is issued to the employee. This permit is valid for one year.

Note: Conditions applying to the issue of Work Permit B:

The permit is issued under provisions related to immigration and labour laws, which include a requirement upon employers to certify they're unable to fill a position with any available local Belgian labour. There is an appeal mechanism for declined applications. Appeals may be lodged with the applicable regional Minister for Employment.

After four years of holding a Work Permit B during a 10 year residency, an employee may apply for a Work Permit A, which is effectively a permanent work permit, with no fixed term.

Exemptions from Work Permit requirements:

It's strongly advised that you check your facts with the relevant authorities before claiming any exemption from Work Permit requirements. The requirements for exemption are quite complex, including 30 basic categories of exemption.

There are quite a few exemptions from Work Permits, but: These exemptions are the rule, not the exception. Most foreigners working in Belgium do require Work Permits. As a rule, foreigners working in Belgium are only entitled to exemptions in clearly defined cases, and mostly for specified periods of time within a year.

It's definitely NOT a good idea to work in Belgium without a valid Work Permit or a valid exemption. Employers are in breach of employment laws, and employees are effectively illegal workers. There's little or no legal comeback, even if you honestly thought you were working legally in the country.

Make sure you clearly understand the requirements for working in Belgium for yourself. You will need advice for your individual needs, so if necessary come to Belgium and get first hand information from employers and the local authorities.

Internships

Internships, if conducted within an 'accepted study framework', are not subject to the requirements of obtaining a Work Permit.

Check the accreditation requirements with your regional Ministry of Employment in Belgium. This is a relatively simple matter, and you can get a direct answer easily.

Unfortunately, due to a variety of international employment and education scams, it's not advisable to simply assume that a given course or internship naturally qualifies for exemption.

The term 'accepted study framework' means as defined by the law, not by the internship provider.

Getting a Work Permit in Belgium is actually pretty straightforward. It's just a matter of doing things properly.