Belgium: Employees in Walloon Region Can Now Work Immediately Upon Receipt of a Single Permit
April 19, 2024
As of April 5, 2024, employees in the Walloon Region of Belgium can work immediately upon arrival in the country (provided they already have a work authorization and an ‘Annex 46’ residency permit). Previously, to be eligible to work, such individuals had to first obtain their ‘Annex 49’ certificate (a document which attests that the applicant has started the residence registration process at their local town hall). Employees in the country’s two other regions (Brussels and Flanders) were already able to work immediately upon arrival if they had a work authorization and an ‘Annex 46’ residency permit. This change is likely to make the onboarding process simpler and faster for businesses and employees in the Walloon Region as the process of sourcing an Annex 49 had required individuals to first secure permanent accommodation and was delayed due to capacity issues at local townhalls.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
Explore more at Fragomen
Awards
Fragomen is ranked Band 1 for Immigration: Business in the Chambers Global 2026 Guide, marking two decades of recognition since 2006. The firm is also the only firm ranked Band 1 in the Global: Multi-Jurisdictional Immigration category and receives additional individual recognitions in the USA: Business Immigration rankings.
Media mentions
Partner Rick Lamanna provides insight to Buffalo Toronto Public Media on potential IRCC processing challenges as Canada prepares for increased visa demand ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Blog post
Immigration Director Deirdre Murray explores the impact of upcoming employment permit changes on employers and workforce planning in Ireland.
Video
Director David Iannella discusses how Global Entry can help frequent business travelers navigate US entry more predictably and access TSA PreCheck.
Video
Manager Russell Hodges and Associate Gurpreet Phalora explain key UK immigration considerations for London Fashion Week 2026.
Advisory services
Senior Counsel Jo Antoons and Immigration Supervisor Elisabeth Kamm explore the EU Blue Card recast and its impact for employers, highlighting how hiring, retention and mobility decisions are affected.
Media mentions
Partner James Pack on US H‑1B updates and what employers should know for the upcoming lottery.
Immigration analysis
Manager Konstantin Schmid provides a practical overview of Swiss citizenship routes, eligibility rules and common reasons applications are delayed or refused.
Media mentions
Manager Pierangelo D’Errico discusses how recent changes to Italy’s citizenship rules are affecting applicants with Italian ancestry.
Podcast
Director Laxmi Limbani discusses how women are shaping the global space sector, the barriers they face and what is needed to support a more inclusive space workforce.
Media mentions
Senior Manager William Diaz outlines how immigration changes in the US and UK may affect workforce planning and mobility for the games industry in 2026.
Awards
Fragomen is ranked Band 1 for Immigration: Business in the Chambers Global 2026 Guide, marking two decades of recognition since 2006. The firm is also the only firm ranked Band 1 in the Global: Multi-Jurisdictional Immigration category and receives additional individual recognitions in the USA: Business Immigration rankings.
Media mentions
Partner Rick Lamanna provides insight to Buffalo Toronto Public Media on potential IRCC processing challenges as Canada prepares for increased visa demand ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Blog post
Immigration Director Deirdre Murray explores the impact of upcoming employment permit changes on employers and workforce planning in Ireland.
Video
Director David Iannella discusses how Global Entry can help frequent business travelers navigate US entry more predictably and access TSA PreCheck.
Video
Manager Russell Hodges and Associate Gurpreet Phalora explain key UK immigration considerations for London Fashion Week 2026.
Advisory services
Senior Counsel Jo Antoons and Immigration Supervisor Elisabeth Kamm explore the EU Blue Card recast and its impact for employers, highlighting how hiring, retention and mobility decisions are affected.
Media mentions
Partner James Pack on US H‑1B updates and what employers should know for the upcoming lottery.
Immigration analysis
Manager Konstantin Schmid provides a practical overview of Swiss citizenship routes, eligibility rules and common reasons applications are delayed or refused.
Media mentions
Manager Pierangelo D’Errico discusses how recent changes to Italy’s citizenship rules are affecting applicants with Italian ancestry.
Podcast
Director Laxmi Limbani discusses how women are shaping the global space sector, the barriers they face and what is needed to support a more inclusive space workforce.
Media mentions
Senior Manager William Diaz outlines how immigration changes in the US and UK may affect workforce planning and mobility for the games industry in 2026.