Effective July 1, 2025, the Brussels shortage occupation list has been revised and is now comprised of 81 professions (down from 82). Occupations on the list are exempt from labor market testing; this list will remain valid for one year. Key changes include: the number of listed jobs in the sales sector has decreased from nine to two; jobs in the personal services sector have been removed, such as public safety officer, home cleaner, and hairdresser, but security guard remains on the list; and new information technology sector professions have been added to reflect growing demand. There has been no public guidance on whether a transition period will apply to applications submitted prior to July 1, 2025 for professions no longer on the list and not yet approved.
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].
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