European Commission Urges Belgium to Adopt Single Permit System

Belgium

As a result of noncompliance with an EU directive to adopt a combined work and residence permit system with a unified application process by December 2013, as well as a reasoned opinion and a warning that noncompliance with the directive would result in an action in the EU Court of Justice, Belgium is expected to implement a single permit system by November 2015. The first official national working documents are expected to be submitted to the Belgian Council of Ministers before September 2015.

The single permit was designed to simplify and harmonize the rules currently applicable in EU member states and to create a more efficient work permit and residency application procedure for both third-country nationals and their employers.

The transition will entail significant procedural reform from the current Belgian immigration system, which uses two separate procedures for the acquisition of work and residency authorizations. It is unclear whether Belgium will take the opportunity to have the system apply to non-EU intracompany transferees on assignment in Belgium or if the impact will be limited to local hires.

What This Means for Foreign Nationals

If a single permit system is created, non-EU workers should benefit as Belgium does not currently offer a single application procedure nor any combined work and residence permit.

Since the adoption of the single permit directive could entail significant procedural reform, Fragomen is following the directive’s implementation closely and will provide further updates as they become available.

The alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].

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