What are the conditions for Ukrainians to work in Belgium, including the procedures for registering with the State Employment Service, obtaining a work permit and the types of permits that exist, in particular for labor migration?

Ukrainians can work in Belgium if they:

o  had an A card or Annex 15;

o  registrated with the State Employment and Vocational Training Service via the link.

The Employment Centre can help you find a job, provide access to foreign language courses, or help you learn a new profession. You can contact the centre by phone at +32(0)2 233 41 11 or visit the website.

The procedure for obtaining a work permit consists of the following steps:

o  the employer submits an application for a work permit to the Belgian immigration authorities;

o  the authorities forward the work permit to the Belgian embassy in the employee's country of residence;

o  the employee visits the Belgian embassy in his/her home country to apply for a residence visa;

o  in Belgium, the employee registers his/her arrival at the local authority and records his/her address of residence;

o  the employee applies for and receives an identity card.

In the brochure published by the Federal State Service of Justice, you will find information on the specifics of labour rights protection.

You can also find information on the website of the Federal Service for Employment, Employment and Social Dialogue on the employment of foreign nationals in Belgium.

There are several types of work permits in Belgium: A, B, C.

The A-type permit is the most privileged and can be obtained only after several years of work. To obtain this permit, the applicant has to have held a type B permit for four years within a continuous ten-year stay in Belgium. A type A permit is valid indefinitely.

Type B is the most common among labour migrants but is limited. This permit allows foreign nationals to work in positions that cannot be filled by Belgian nationals. It is valid for one year, after which it can be extended.

Type C is issued to foreigners who have the right to stay in Belgium for reasons other than employment. This permit is issued to students and other temporary visitors. It is valid for a maximum of one year.

Documents are processed at the Ministry of Economic Migration, more details can be found on this website.