Flanders, Belgium is poised to enact significant alterations to its immigration regulations, with a focus on foreign labourers.
These adjustments prioritize Belgian and European workers, requiring a thorough assessment of local and regional job markets before admitting foreign nationals.
The revised policies align with the government’s concentric labour migration model.
Belgium Immigration….
Key modifications include expanded work permit exemptions, tightened regulations on Shortage Occupations and Labor Market testing, and eased educational criteria for EU Blue Card holders and intra-company transferees.
A pivotal change involves widening work permit exemptions, allowing various business activities under a business visitor status without requiring a permit.
However, employers must monitor employees’ stays, ensuring compliance with the 90-day limit within any 180-day period.
For medium-skilled shortage occupations, employers must now submit detailed documentation of applicants’ skills, experience, and qualifications for assessment by the Regional Employment Ministry, potentially prolonging the administrative process.
Stricter rules are applied to the labour market test, mandating job vacancies to be published for a minimum of nine weeks within the preceding four months, limiting opportunities for foreign workers.
In the IT sector, EU Blue Card applicants can substitute academic credentials with relevant professional experience to address labour shortages.
EU Blue Card holders gain flexibility in changing employers, simplifying procedures after the first 12 months, provided salary criteria are met.
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