Work permits – Researcher with a hosting agreement

At present, foreign researchers with a hosting agreement do not need permission to come to work in Flanders. They are exempt if they meet certain conditions.

Foreign nationals who come to work in Flanders must first receive permission to work. This obligation applies to everyone apart from a few well-defined categories of foreign workers.

A foreign researcher with a hosting agreement who does not belong to one of these categories is (currently) exempt from needing a work permit (see Article 2,26° of the Royal Decree of June 9, 1999 (in Dutch)(opens in new window)) if:

• the researcher will be conducting research at an accredited research institution under a hosting agreement
• the duration of the research project is specified in the hosting agreement that the researcher closes with the research institution.

The employer does not yet have to apply for permission to work because Article 4 of Chapter 8 of the ​​​​Government of Flanders Order will only enter into effect when the executive cooperation agreement of 6 December 2018 enters into force. That is not yet the case.

Validity of the exemption

The exemption is only valid:

• for the duration of the research project (as defined in the hosting agreement)
• for the research activity for which the researcher received the exemption
• for the research institution with which the researcher closed the hosting agreement.

See also:

• Title II, Chapter 4 of the executive cooperation agreement of 6 December 2018
• Directive (EU) 2016/801(opens in new window) of the European Parliament and the Council of 11 May 2016 on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of research, studies, training, voluntary services, pupil exchange schemes or educational projects and au pairing
• Articles 61/10–12 of the Law of December 15 1980 (in Dutch)(opens in new window) on entry to the country, stay, settlement and removal of foreign nationals
• The Royal Decree of June 8 2007 (in Dutch)(opens in new window) governing the conditions for the approval of research institutions intending to conclude hosting agreements with researchers from non-EU countries in the context of research projects, and stipulating the conditions under which such hosting agreements may be closed.