Brussels (Brussels Morning) – Belgium announces significant changes to immigration policy for foreign workers in the Flanders Region, effective May 1, 2024. Updates prioritize Belgian and EU workers, with streamlined procedures and stricter rules.
The Flanders Region in Belgium is going to roll out significant modifications to its immigration policy, particularly involving foreign workers. It will take effect from May 1, 2024. Under these changes, priority will be provided to Belgian and European employees, with the admission of foreign nationals into the force being allowed only after thorough consideration of local and regional labour markets.
According to the Economic Times, the updated policies aim to support the government’s concentric model of labour migration. Important adjustments include additions to work permit exemptions, limitations on the Shortage Occupation and Labor Market testing frameworks, and flexible educational qualification conditions for EU Blue Card holders and intra-company transferees.
How Will Belgium’s New Immigration Policy Impact Workers?
One critical aspect of the changes involves the broadening of work permit immunities. This will allow diverse business activities, such as participation in conferences, negotiation of business contracts, and involvement in tourism-related movements, under a business visitor position, without the requirement for a work permit. However, employers must observe the duration of their employees’ stay in Belgium, providing compliance with the prescribed rule of not exceeding 90 days within any 180 days.
What Implications Do Belgium’s Immigration Policy Updates Have?”
The government will permit the following activities under a business visitor status, which currently requires a work permit: Participation in meetings, seminars, business meetings, trade fairs, and presentations; Negotiation of business contracts; Involvement in sales, marketing, internal, and consumer audits; Exploration of business prospects; Attendance or conduct of exercise sessions; Activities linked to tourism and Translation and interpretation services.
How Will Belgium’s Immigration Policy Affect Businesses?
Employers who desire to hire individuals for medium-skilled deficiency occupations must now supply documentation of the applicant’s skills, experience, and capabilities, which will be considered by the Regional Employment Ministry. This additional condition is expected to prolong the interior administrative process.
Are Belgium’s Immigration Policy Changes Favorable for Workers?
The labour market test procedure will also see stricter rules, with job vacancies now needing to be published for a minimum of nine weeks within the four months foregoing the application. Job postings must occur on both the EURES and VDAB websites. The government will only receive labour market test applications for jobs documented as shortage occupations by VDAB, potentially limiting job prospects for foreign workers.
In the IT sector, EU Blue Card applicants with administrative or specialist roles can replace academic credentials with at least three years of appropriate professional experience gained within the past seven years. This change strives to address the IT labour shortage in Belgium.
EU Blue Card holders will also find it more comfortable to change employers, with information to the Regional Employment Ministry acceptable within the first 12 months. After this period, switching employers becomes even simpler, with no immigration politeness required, provided minimum salary criteria are met. The salary requirement for getting an EU Blue Card has been raised to 130% of the average income, correlating to an annual taxable salary of EUR 60,621 for 2024.
These changes, along with minor adjustments such as facilitating the hiring of seasonal workers and correcting medium-skilled shortage employment lists more regularly, aim to streamline the immigration strategy while ensuring the practical utilization of the labour force in the Flanders Region of Belgium.
