European blue card

This authorisation must be requested to employ a worker:

who has signed a permanent employment contract or at least a one year contract with the employer;
who is a higher education graduate demonstrating higher professional qualifications (recognized diploma);
who will benefit from an annual gross salary equal to or greater than the amount listed here.

Single permit or type B permit?

The European Blue Card is accessible only as part of a single permit.

It is not accessible to cross-border workers or people resident in a hotel.

Seconded worker or not?

The blue card is not accessible to seconded workers.

If you want to employ a worker under a European blue card: apply for a single permit

Where is the application submitted?

For the single permit, the application must be entered online and the supporting documents submitted on the Working in Belgium federal portal.

Take care to select the "management personnel" criteria on the application (Article 16, alinea1, 2°, of the Walloon Government Decree of 16 May 2019) and to prepare the corresponding documents indicated in the tables below in advance.

How long does it take to process my file?

The application must legally be processed within 4 months by the administrations.

The timeframe is generally less for files that are complete and comply with the regulations.

How can I submit a renewal application?

The application to renew a fixed-term single permit must be made at most 3 months and at least 2 months before the end of the current permit.

Documents required for the residence section

	First application	Renewal application
Payment of the fee	Yes	No
Extract of the worker's criminal record	Yes	No
Copy of a medical certificate dated within 6 months	Yes	No
Proof of health insurance	Yes	Yes

You can find the information and document templates by clicking here.

(1) for the single permit application, the form must be completed and signed electronically online by the applicant (the employer or their representative). No scanned application document is to be attached. The signature of the electronic form isn’t needed for the worker/intern/volunteer/.... He gives his consent by signing the contract/letter of secondment/training agreement/volunteer agreement/..

Documents required for the work section

	First application	Renewal application
Single permit application form	Yes (1)	Yes (1)
A copy of a valid passport for the worker	Yes	Yes
A copy of the worker’s Belgian residence document	Yes, if existing	No
A copy of the applicant's identity card (employer or representative)	Yes	Yes
A copy of the worker's Belgian or foreign employment contract	Yes	(2)
A copy of the worker's qualification	Yes	No
A copy of the proof of access to the regulated profession	Yes if employment requested in a regulated profession	No
Copies of payslips or the individual remuneration statement	No	Yes
A copy of the LIMOSA declaration from the previous employment	No	Yes for a seconded worker

(1) : for the single permit application, the form must be completed and signed electronically online by the applicant (the employer or their representative). No scanned application document is to be attached. The signature of the electronic form isn’t needed for the worker/intern/volunteer/.... He gives his consent by signing the contract/letter of secondment/training agreement/volunteer agreement/..

(2): Yes, if the document sent for the first application does not cover the renewal period for which you are applying

Do other documents need to be supplied?

This permit is delivered for a 36 months period. This period is renewable.

When the permit duration exceeds 12 months, the employer sends a copy of the worker's individual accounts for the elapsed period to the Direction of Employment and Work Permits on every anniversary date of the authorisation being issued.

Autres démarches à réaliser

Les travailleurs étrangers engagés sous contrat de travail belge doivent faire l’objet d’une déclaration DIMONA avant la mise au travail. Cliquez ici pour plus d'informations sur la DIMONA.

Les travailleurs étrangers qui continuent d’être occupés par un employeur étranger et sont temporairement détachés en Belgique doivent faire l’objet d’une déclaration LIMOSA avant la mise au travail en Belgique. Cliquez ici pour plus d'informations sur la LIMOSA.