Single Permit

The Single Permit (permis unique / gecombineerde vergunning) is Belgium's combined work-and-residence authorisation for non-EU nationals taking up salaried employment. It implements the EU Single Permit Directive: instead of obtaining a separate work permit and residence permit, the applicant goes through one integrated procedure that results in a single document covering both the right to work and the right to reside.

Belgium is a federal country, and the procedure reflects that: the regional authority - in Flanders, Wallonia, Brussels-Capital or the German-speaking Community - decides the employment (work) component, while the federal Immigration Office decides the residence component. The two assessments are combined into one application, normally initiated by the employer.

The Single Permit applies to employment of more than 90 days. It is the standard route for non-EU professionals, technicians and other employees recruited by Belgian companies, replacing the older split system for long-term work. In 2026 it remains the primary channel for salaried economic migration to Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and beyond, and it allows family members to join the worker.

The Single Permit is for non-EU/EEA nationals with a job offer for salaried employment in Belgium lasting more than 90 days. The application is employer-driven: a Belgian employer must offer a concrete position and submit the request.

The competent region assesses the employment side. For many roles, the employer must show the position cannot readily be filled from the regional labour market, although certain categories - highly qualified workers, shortage occupations and others defined by regional policy - are exempt from or face a lighter labour-market test. Pay and working conditions must comply with Belgian and regional standards and the applicable sectoral rules. The federal Immigration Office checks the residence side: a valid passport, health insurance, no public-order concerns and, in some cases, a medical certificate. Regulated professions require recognition of qualifications.

Step one: a Belgian employer offers a salaried position of more than 90 days and prepares the employment contract.

Step two: the employer lodges the Single Permit application with the competent regional authority - Flanders, Wallonia, Brussels-Capital or the German-speaking Community - depending on the place of employment.

Step three: the file includes the employment contract, the employer's and employee's documents, proof of qualifications, and a medical certificate where required.

Step four: the region assesses the work component (including any labour-market test) and, in parallel, the federal Immigration Office assesses the residence component; the two decisions are combined.

Step five: if the application is approved, the employee - if abroad - applies for a long-stay visa (type D) at the Belgian embassy or consulate to travel to Belgium.

Step six: enter Belgium and register at the municipal administration of your place of residence within the required period.

Step seven: collect the Single Permit card, which serves as the combined work-and-residence document. Family members may apply for family reunification.

A Single Permit application involves a regional administrative fee for the work component and a federal contribution for the residence component; together these commonly total a few hundred euros, and the employer frequently bears the regional fee. The long-stay visa applied for abroad carries its own fee. Add certified translations of contracts and diplomas, qualification-recognition costs for regulated professions, and a medical certificate where required. After arrival, factor in municipal registration and the practical costs of relocating - housing deposits and Brussels-area rents - which are the larger real expenses for most workers.

Belgian law sets a target for Single Permit decisions - the combined regional and federal assessment is intended to be completed within around four months of a complete application, though actual times vary by region and caseload. Cases needing a labour-market test, or with incomplete documentation, take longer; applications for exempt categories such as highly qualified workers can move faster. After approval, the long-stay visa stage at the embassy adds further time for applicants abroad. Family-reunification applications are handled separately and should be planned around the worker's permit timeline.

After arriving in Belgium you must register at the municipal administration (commune / gemeente) of your place of residence within the prescribed period. The local police typically verify your address before you are entered in the population register and issued your Single Permit residence card.

Join a Belgian health-insurance fund (mutuelle / ziekenfonds) to activate healthcare cover, and ensure your employer has registered you with the social-security system so contributions and benefits are in order. Open a Belgian bank account and obtain your national register number, which is needed for administrative dealings. Accompanying family members granted reunification complete their own municipal registration; children must be enrolled in school. Belgium offers integration programmes - including language courses in Dutch, French or German depending on the region - which support daily life and longer-term residence prospects.