A type-C work permit may be requested by persons already authorised to stay in Belgium, for example (non-exhaustive list) certain asylum seekers, certain students and certain persons authorised to reside in Belgium as part of a family reunification.

Type-C work permit

• is of limited duration. It is valid for a maximum of 12 months and can be renewed;
• is valid for any employer in Belgium. Employers do not need to obtain employment authorisation to employ workers with a type-C work permit;
• is no longer valid if the holder losers their right or authorisation to stay in Belgium.

The competent authority for issuing this work permit is the Region in which the worker is resident.

A type-B work permit is linked to economic immigration.

A type-B work permit is of limited duration.

Under the terms of a type-B work permit, employers can hire foreign workers if they cannot find an employee on the local labour market, including by offering a job-seeker a maximum of six months' training. A study of the labour market must be carried out in advance to determine whether the employers' needs can be met locally.

Employers must obtain employment authorisation and workers then automatically receive a type-B work permit. This permit allows them to carry out the requested job for the authorised employer. Employers must submit their employment authorisation application before the foreign worker arrives in Belgium.

This permit is valid only for countries with which an international agreement has been signed (exhaustive list: Serbia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia). For other nationalities, employment authorisation can only be granted in individual cases that are of interest for economic or social reasons.

The employment contract must be for a limited period (maximum of 12 months), in accordance with the modalities set out in the work permit legislation.

A study of the labour market is not necessary for certain special categories of worker. In this case, they do not need to be nationals of countries with which an international agreement has been signed. These workers may be present on the territory with a view to finding a job. This provision covers:

• highly-qualified personnel or management positions;
• researchers and visiting professors;
• specialised technicians;
• professional athletes and trainers;
• young au pairs;
• performance artists;
• long-term residents engaging in professions where there is a shortage of skills.

Finally, highly-qualified workers who meet certain specific conditions may be employed under the European blue card scheme. This card is issued on the basis of three criteria: the worker's qualification level, the salary and the duration of the employment contract.

However, the blue card is not valid for certain categories of person who are nationals of third countries and are highly qualified (e.g. seconded workers, long-term residents, researchers, persons under temporary protection and asylum-seekers).

-A type-B work permit allows holders to obtain the right to stay.

A type-A work permit is issued to employed workers who have already worked for several years with a type-B work permit.

To obtain a type-A work permit, workers must provide proof that they have been working for four years and also fulfil three conditions:

• be employed;
• hold a type-B work permit that allows this type of employment;
• hold a legal residency permit.

These four years may be reduced by one year if the worker is a national of Serbia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria or Tunisia. They may also be reduced by a further year if the family is legally resident in Belgium together with the worker.

Certain work permits cannot be considered when assessing the granting of a type-A work permit, particularly those issued to highly-qualified personnel, researchers and/or personnel seconded abroad.

Type-A work permits are indefinite and are valid with any employer for any profession. These employers do not need to obtain employment authorisation to employ workers with a type-A work permit.

Workers must submit a type-A work permit application to the Regional Forem Department in their place of residence.

Other documents must be attached to the application together with the form:

• an information sheet countersigned by the Mayor of the community in which the foreign applicant lives;
• a two-sided copy of the applicant's current residency permit;
• a copy of the individual account proving the stated years of work;
• a copy of all the work permits obtained by the worker.

If the case file is complete, the Forem transfers the application to the work permits service of the Wallonia Public Service (SPW) (Directorate of Employment and Work Permits).

If the application meets the legal criteria, the work permit is sent to the municipal administration in the applicant's place of residence for collection.

In the event of refusal, on the other hand, applicants receive the decision and the justification by registered letter.

Type-A work permits are of limited validity and do not therefore need to be renewed.

Employers must submit a request for authorisation to employ workers.

The completed and signed original form, together with its annexes, must be sent to the Directorate of Employment and Work Permits.

The administration sends employers an acknowledgement of receipt within eight days. The application is then examined. Employers are then asked to supply any missing documents so that the case file can be examined.

If the application meets the legal criteria, the employment authorisation is sent to the employer and the type-B work permit to the municipal administration in the place of work or to that of the workers if they live in French-speaking Wallonia.

If employers want to retain workers after their employment authorisation has expired, they must submit an application to renew this authorisation, at the latest one month before its expiry. The administration will check whether the regulations, employment conditions and terms of the employment contract have been respected during the previous period of employment.

Workers must submit a type-C work permit application to the Regional Forem Department (Forem Regional Department) in their place of residence.

Other documents must be attached to the application in addition to the form:

• an information sheet countersigned by the Mayor of the community in which the foreign applicant lives;
• a two-sided copy of the applicant's current residency permit;
• the documents specific to each category of foreign national entitled to obtain a type-C work permit.

The Forem transfers the application to the work permit service of the Wallonia Public Service (SPW) (Directorate of Employment and Work Permits).

If the application meets the legal criteria, the work permit is sent to the municipal administration in the applicant's place of residence for collection.

In the event of refusal, on the other hand, applicants are notified by registered letter. The possibilities for appeal are set out in the explanatory notice.

Workers must request the renewal of their type-C work permit one month before the expiry of the previous type-C work permit, so that the Administration can extend the work permit and avoid any interruptions. The temporary residency conditions required for the granting of the work permit are identical.