The Council of Ministers has approved a preliminary draft law amending the rules governing highly qualified workers.
The amendments, which are intended to align Belgian national laws with EU law, include:
- The partial transposition of Directive (EU) 2021/1883 on the European Blue Card for highly qualified workers, namely:
- processing time for applications will be reduced to a maximum of 90 days;
- the rules on family reunification for this group will be simplified; and
- mobility within the EU will also be facilitated.
- Changes to the single permit, namely:
- the grounds for refusal and end of stay will be extended; and
- better protection will be established for workers who are victims of certain social offenses committed by the employer;
- An administrative simplification of the application process for the job search year for students and researchers;
- Other technical corrections.
The proposals are explained here by the Minister for Asylum and Migration.
Erickson Insights and Analysis
Erickson Immigration Group will continue monitoring developments and sharing updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or if you have case-specific questions.