Archive » Europe » Belgium work permit trouble
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| johnix Junior Member Member # 3009 | Posted April 19, 2002 02:51 PM Hello, On your online guide for work permit in Belgium you do not say anything about how many times a work permit B can be obtained or how much you can stay in Belgium. From my knowledge, not more than 4 years. The Belgium law says that after 4 consecutive years of permit B you may apply for work permit A, which grants you automatically permanent residence. But there is a trick the Belgium administration is using to block people form applying for work permit B. By promising employers low cost and fast processing they recommend that the application is made for a "highly qualified" person. This category of application is usually processed in less than a month. But the trick is that a "highly qualified" work permit B does not count for obtaining the work permit A. In other words a "highly qualified" person can not work / stay in Belgium more then 4 years. These are the consequences of the new labor law published in June 1999. I know all of these because, to one of my friends, the application for work permit A was rejected due to "highly qualified" option the employer has used. And the administration advise him to leave the country. I know it sounds stupid to ask "highly qualified" IT people to leave your country when you actually need them but this in Belgium. For this year he was lucky because his first work permit B was issued before the current labor low so he has one more year to stay. But next year he will have big problem if he wants to stay in Belgium and as him many other since it will be the 4'th year after the introduction of the new law. If you have any comments or suggestions to this subject please reply. Johnix. |
| andrik75 Junior Member Member # 3111 | Posted April 24, 2002 08:32 PM Interesting point of view. I noticed that everybody is talking about work permit. How about permanent residence? How can you aply for PR, how long it takes and what differences are between EU countries regarding the subject? USA |
| Elfa Member Member # 5 | Posted April 25, 2002 03:40 PM Hi You can't apply for permanent residence straight out for Belgium or any other EU countries. However, once you have resided in Belgium for three years or longer on a valid work permit then you are eligible to become a permanent resident. Netherlands also has a three year residency requirement before being able to qualify for permanent residency and most other EU countries have a longer residency period. The only countries to which you can apply for permanent residency straight out on the basis of your skills, education and work experience are Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Hope this clarifies things a bit. Regards Elfa -------------------- Elfa Kere, Consultant |
| Oz Junior Member Member # 2357 | Posted April 25, 2002 06:21 PM [QUOTE]Originally posted by Elfa:
Elfa, |
| johnix Junior Member Member # 3009 | Posted April 25, 2002 07:16 PM Hi, To obtain a permanent residence permit you must have been working in Belgium for at least 5 years. And I repeat fully working, not studying or jobless. The three year story has to do with the posibility to apply for cityzenship but as I heard there are not many chances to succed. The application needs to be approved by a commission of the parlament which most of the times rejects the applications claiming vague reason: "not enough integreation". And they did that for a PhD speeking fluently Flemmish. Belgium is not that flexible like Nederlans. And I am afraid that for the permanent residence permit (after 5 years of temporary residence) are once again the "high qualified" applicants are excluded. Regards |
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