Work permits – Trainee at a government or international institution
Foreign nationals who follow a traineeship at a government or international institution require a work permit.
Conditions for working in Flanders
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 trainee following a traineeship at a government or international institution in Belgium who does not belong to any of the well-defined categories of foreign workers and therefore needs a work permit, can work in Flanders if they meet any one of the three conditions below:
- The trainee is following a traineeship at a local, provincial, regional or federal Belgian government institution.
- The trainee is following a traineeship at an international institution under public law that is based in Belgium. The status of the institution is governed by a treaty that has entered into force.
- He is undertaking work placement as part of a programme approved by an international institution under public law. This means that the trainee does not undertake the work placement at the institution itself, but that it is in line with their approved programme.
Which work permit is required?
As an employer, you apply for permission for your future employee to work. The procedure and the documents that you need will differ depending on the duration of their appointment. Are you applying for permission for the first time? Or are you renewing a permit? This makes a difference too.