Work permits – Training with a multinational group

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 national who is going to follow or give training in the Belgian offices of a multinational group of companies, and who does not belong to one of these well-defined categories, therefore needs a work permit. They can work in Flanders if they meet the conditions below.

The assignment lasts for a maximum of 90 days

There is no need for a work permit for an assignment of a maximum of 90 days (see Article 16, §1, 4° of the Government of Flanders Order). The following conditions apply:

• The employee is seconded to Belgium to give or to follow a training course in the Belgian office of the group of companies which includes that of the foreign employer.
• The training is part of a training agreement between the offices of this group.
• The assignment lasts for a maximum of 90 days.

A group of companies (see Article 17,19° of the Government of Flanders Order) is a unit of connected and/or associated companies, as defined in Articles 11 and 12 of the Belgian Code of Companies.

The appointment is in conjunction with a Schengen visa for 90/180 days, or for longer than three months

For a foreign national who is going to give or follow a training course in the Belgian offices of a multinational group, and who will do this with a Schengen visa for 90/180 days, the employer must apply for a work permit and an employment permit. The foreign employee will be permitted to work for a maximum of 90 days and remain in the Flemish region for as long as their Schengen visa is valid (valid for 180 days).

If the appointment is to last for longer than 3 months, as the employer, you need to apply for single permit with a fixed term.

In both cases, the following conditions must be met:

• The employee is seconded to Belgium to give or to follow a training course in the Belgian offices of the group of companies to which the foreign employee belongs.
• The training is part of a training agreement between the companies of this group.
• The appointment lasts longer than 3 months. There is no maximum duration for the training.

A group of companies (see Article 17,19° of the Government of Flanders Order) is a unit of connected and/or associated companies, as defined in Articles 11 and 12 of the Belgian Code of Companies.