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Work permits – Categories and procedures

Foreign nationals who are coming to Flanders to work must first be granted permission to work. This requirement applies to everyone except for certain well-defined categories of foreign nationals.

The sort of work that the foreign national will perform determines whether they will be admitted to the labour market. The future employer of the foreign employee is to apply for the work permit. 

Categories of eligible foreign employees

A work permit can only be granted if the work of the foreign national belongs to one of the categories below. Different conditions, requirements and procedures apply for every category.

  1. Highly skilled
    • Candidate has a higher or tertiary education diploma or degree
    • Conditions in relation to minimum wages
  2. Managerial position
    • Candidate fulfils a managerial role and manages employees
    • Conditions in relation to minimum wages
  3. Shortage occupation
    • Function performed by candidate is listed as a shortage occupation
    • Candidate has specific skills to perform tasks for listed function
  4. Specialised technician
    • Candidate assembles supplied installations and puts them into commission
    • Also valid for performance of maintenance and repair work
  5. Professional athlete
    • Aimed at top-level athletes, trainers, referees
    • Candidate has employment contract for paid sport professionals
  6. Artist
    • For artists involved in audiovisual or visual arts, music, literature, theatre, etc.
    • Candidate must have earned at least 35,104 euro in 2020
  7. Postdoctoral researcher
    • Minimum qualification level: 8 (Doctorate)
    • Candidate performs fundamental scientific research in a host university or recognised research institution
  8. Trainee
    • Refers to full-time training position for a maximum of twelve months
    • Trainee must be between 18 and 30 years old
  14. Journalist
    • Candidate resides in Belgium, working as a journalist
    • Candidate is exclusively linked to foreign newspaper, press agency or radio or television station
  16. Au pair
    • Living costs and accommodation in exchange for performing light household tasks
    • Host family provides cultural education and enriches language skills
  17. European Blue Card
    • Admission for highly qualified third-country nationals
    • Admission provided via a so-called single permit
  18. Intra-corporate transferee
    • Candidate transfer internally within a single company
    • Candidate submits an application for a highly skilled worker
  19. Researcher hosting agreement
    • Research with recognised research institution via hosting agreement
    • The duration of the research project is set in the hosting agreement
  20. Frontier workers
    • A work permit/employment permit is always required
    • Permits are valid for a maximum of twelve months
  21. Other categories
    • For manpower that it is impossible to find on the local labour market in a reasonable time frame
    • The employer needs to place a job vacancy

Frequently asked questions

Work permits for foreign workers

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