Belgium Work Visa 2027: Types, Rules and Steps

The Belgium Work Visa

Belgium sits at the heart of Europe, with Brussels as home to the EU’s main institutions, many international companies, good salaries and a high quality of life. If you are not from the EU and want to work in Belgium for more than 90 days, you need a single permit, which combines your work permit and residence permit in one procedure, plus a long-stay visa (visa D) to enter the country. In most cases, your Belgian employer applies for the single permit for you, so you first need a job offer. People who speak several languages, such as English plus French, Dutch or German, often have more job options.

Types of Belgium Work Permits

The most common route is the single permit for highly qualified workers, such as engineers, IT specialists and managers. Belgium also has single permits for other groups, including medium-skilled workers in shortage occupations and seasonal workers, and an EU Blue Card for highly qualified workers with a higher salary. For short jobs of 90 days or less, a separate short-term work permit is used instead of the single permit. Belgium has no central work permit office: your application goes to the region where the job is located, which is Flanders, Wallonia or the Brussels-Capital Region, and each has its own rules.

Requirements for a Belgium Work Visa

You need a signed job offer or contract from a Belgian employer, a valid passport, a medical certificate, a criminal record certificate if you are over 18, and health insurance. For the highly qualified category, you usually need a university degree, or in Wallonia, at least three years of relevant experience in the last seven years. You must also earn at least the minimum gross salary set by your region, which is lower for workers under 30 and updated every year. For some jobs outside the highly qualified category, your employer may need to show that no suitable worker could be found in Belgium or the EU.

Steps to Get a Belgium Work Visa

First, prepare your CV and apply for jobs in Belgium, for example through official regional job portals or international job sites. Next, once you have an offer, your employer applies for your single permit to the regional authority where the job is located, using your documents and proof that the administrative fee has been paid. After the single permit is approved, you apply for a long-stay visa (visa D) at the Belgian embassy or consulate in your country. Finally, travel to Belgium and register at your local municipality within eight working days to receive your residence card. Never start working in Belgium before your permit and visa are approved.

Permanent Residence Through a Belgium Work Visa

Your single permit is linked to your job, and your employer applies to renew it before it expires, as long as your contract continues. After about five years of legal and continuous residence in Belgium, you can usually apply for long-term residence at your local municipality. You must show a stable and regular income, health insurance and other documents. Long-term residence lets you live in Belgium without a time limit and work more freely, and later, depending on your language skills and integration, you may be able to apply for Belgian citizenship.

Check if you qualify for a Belgian work permit →