international hiring
While we live in a globally connected world, cross-national hiring is not as easy as it may sound. However, there are for sure benefits that come with this effort, such as
- Increased innovation and creativity
- Expansion of business and knowledge
- Access to larger talent pool and markets
International House West Flanders offers a unique opportunity to bridge the gap.
We connect! We guide! We support!
WHat is the hiring process like?
To have a non-EEA (European Economic Area) citizen on board of your company, it is required to obtain a Single Permit for them to work and live in Belgium legally.
It is a document/card that must be applied by the employer.
The processing time typically takes up to 3-4 months or even longer depending on the Municipality of residence. And it can be valid for up to 1-3 years, then it has to be renewed again by the employer.
The renewal must be done two months before the expire date, and the summary and explanation of process are as below:
Explanation:
After signing an official contract with the international talent, the employer must start the request of the Single Permit at the Economic Migration Service. This request will first be responded with a "Decision" once approved. Only then, the Single Permit will officially start to be processed with an estimated waiting period of 3-4 months (sometimes even longer).
After this waiting time, the employer will receive the Single Permit, then the hired talent needs to visit the Belgian Embassy in his/her home country to apply for the D Visa.
*Each embassy has different rules when it comes to appointments. We recommend checking before any visit is done.
Within 8 days of his/her arrival with the D Visa, the hired talent has to visit the local municipality of residence to request an application of the Residence Permit. This usually takes around a couple of months (or longer), and meanwhile, he/she will be provided with a temporary residence document, so-called Annex 49, which allows the employer to already start with on-boarding of the talent.
The hired talent is not allowed to leave the Belgian border until an official permit, Annex 46, is granted.
(For more detailed information, we refer you to Your Future in Flanders.)
