B Work Permit Application Process

My application was initially decline because I came from a non EU country. It took me approximately 3-4 months after an appeal. Luckily, it was approved after the market research by the labor department (checking if there are really no Belgian or EU people which they can employ)

EDIT: Hi Rosecabrera, thanks for your reply. Hmmm, looks like your work permit application was not in one of the exempted categories. When a normal, non exempt work permit application is filed, the authorities do a labour market research only after an appeal – and such applications are denied on the first attempt by default. The employers then have to write an appeal to the labour authorities proving you are required, and then the authorities do a labour market study to approve/deny the application. In my case, for example, the labour market research isn't supposed to be done. It is the same type of work permit, the B type, only that it is in a category which is exempted from the set of rules governing the approval of other B Work Permits.

hello gka,

Am from India & have obtained my D visa for Belgium this week. Like yours, my WP is also type B that was obtained by my employer in last week of April. Fortunately my prospective employer had hired a consultancy to process my WP & it was done within a week. Hence my experience is limited to give the intricacies of the entire procedure.

BTW I will be arriving to Ghent by July. Hoping to know more of you.

Regards

Hello Vrind,

Thanks for replying. Well, I was about to update this thread since I got news from my HR that my work permit has been approved, but it still has to go to the local commune for registration after which it'll be sent to me. For me, the work permit application process took around 10 working days (2 weeks) and I'm hoping I can be in Belgium by mid June.

How soon did you get the D-type visa after applying?

Hi gka,

Glad to know about your WP. The processing time for visa took just 4 working days, but I should admit that collecting documents for the visa application took longer for me. But if you are ready with all necessary apostilled documents, ideally you would receive visa within a week of application.

Hope this helps, all the best!

That's really cool. I have all the documents in order, and yeah, the PCC took about 3 weeks for me, and getting it apostilled took around one week. Other than that, I have all the documents. I'm yet to receive my work permit in original and the letters from my employer sometime next week. I'll apply for the visa immediately after that. I'm running on a tight timeline, I hope I can make it!

Ah. The good thing now is that our work permit has both been approved. See you in Belgum!

Yup, the WP application is the most nerve wracking period in this process. I couldn't be happier that its behind me.

Update #3: My employers received the employment authorisation yesterday, which means my work permit is sitting at the local commune now. I'm waiting till they're invited to come and collect the permit and then ship it to me along with the letters needed for the visa application. If things go promptly now, I should be in Belgium in much less than 2 weeks. Fingers crossed!

Update #4: I received my documents from my employer yesterday and applied for the long stay visa immediately (Monday, 10th of June). I've heard it doesn't take more than a week and the person at the VFS counter told me that I'll have it in hand by Thursday/Friday. Lets hope its done quickly now!

Hey GKA its good that your posting your process on here. I know everyones is differen but its good to have an idea

hannahhadman wrote:

Hey GKA its good that your posting your process on here. I know everyones is differen but its good to have an idea

True, but for most people I've asked (from India) it has taken almost the same amount of time for all steps of the process. If someone asks me now, I'd say the work permit takes about 3 weeks, and the visa issuance takes about 1 week. The surprising part is how fast it all gets done – I'm counting on the the person who processed my application at VFS, he told me to rest assured that it'll be done by Thursday (tomorrow) or Friday. Fingers crossed. :-)

Yeah your luckly. I was a bit unlucky with mine from uk took them about 4 months to do it lol

Update #5: I now have the visa in my hands. For me, the visa process took only a little over 1 business day – I applied for the visa on 10th and got notified that it was ready by 4pm, 12th. That was really quick!

I have the tickets ready and I'm flying out on the 20th! See you guys in Gent.

see you there GKA love gent hope you enjoy the city as much as me

Congratulations and all the best.

I'm from New Delhi and I work for a small IT company. I'm planning to go and work in Europe.

I would appreciate if you could share the documents needed to apply for the Belgium WP and the process.

Much appreciate.

Regards
-M

Hi Manoj,

You cannot apply for the work permit on your own.

The organization that would hire you, has to file the Wp application with the labor office here.


Regards
Aneesh

Update #6: I'm in amazing, amazing Gent!

gka: I hope you are still accessing this forum. I was wondering if you would not mind if I asked your qualifications (MSc or PhD level, no of years work experience, etc). I am applying for jobs in Belgium as of the moment. How "highly" qualified should an applicant be to have higher chance  in obtaining a work permit?
I am also anxious about this. At some point, I feel like it is almost impossible for non-EU to work in Europe. Thank you very much.

Hi Kokoyu,

It all depends on your hiring organization. They are the ones to convince the local authorities that you are to be hired.

Your educational qualifications should meet your employers requirements. (They will hire you only if your qualifications and/or experience meets EU minimum requirements).

Aneesh

Thank you for your reply Aneesh.
Yes, I should get a job offer first.
I am just wondering since I do not live in my home country and would probably need to ask a family member to compile documents needed for visa (in case I get lucky and will get a job offer and eventually a work permit), what documents did you prepare for the working visa? I read somewhere the ff:
1. legalised diploma, transcript of records
2. Police clearance (from places where you lived in the last 5 years)
3. Birth certificate, marriage certificate

Thank you very much.

*I know the requirements may vary according to nationality. But the Philippines's site is just not comprehensive enough, for working visa. I just need some heads up on documents that I might need to prepare.

Google is your friend https://dofi.ibz.be/sites/dvzoe/EN/Appl … pplicationhttp://countries.diplomatie.belgium.be/ … g_belgium/

Thank you Aneesh.

Update:

Again, thank you everyone for your inputs. They inspired me to push my application. I finally got a job offer! Now, I await instructions from my employer on documents needed for the working permit. I will be hired as "high skilled" worker. The position I applied for requires international experience on a certain field. I really hope everything will go smoothly in the work permit. I contacted the Belgium Embassy and they informed me about the requirements. Police Clearance - checked, Medical Certificate - scheduled on Monday. 

Cheers.

Wooho.. See you soon here..

not so fast...I am still waiting for the result of my work permit. They submitted my application last week...this is emotionally draining, every time I check my email my heart rate rises! huhu hope this ordeal will be over soon, and I hope there is a rainbow after this.

Edit: There was misunderstanding and they did not submit my application as I initially thought. They submitted it mid Feb.

Updating my Working Permit (B) process for the benefit of those who are just starting, or just anyone interested:

My employer informed me that I need to provide another medical certificate, they sent me the form to which the physician should sign. It is a very simple and short certification written in Dutch. Apparently, the one I provided with comprehensive results of the medical tests was not acceptable. And since it is the first time for my employer to apply for Work Permit, they also thought any medical certificate is acceptable as long as prepared by the accredited hospital and "signed/stamped" by the Embassy.

Lesson: Use only the prescribed forms for medical certificate, ask your employer to check this in case they also don't know. There are different formats depending on the region or local where it will be submitted. I went back to the hospital and talked with the in-charge person. She showed me the different formats of Belgium medical certificate! whew

Update: My work permit B is approved! They submitted my dossier last week and exactly 5 working days later, the result is out. It is now in the commune waiting to be picked up by my employer. I will apply for visa once it arrives in my doorstep. 

Cool.. Work permit approval is the major hurdle.

As that is passed, I would expect the visa to be granted without much hassle. 

All the best..

Thank you very much, aneeshks.

My work permit will arrive today and I will apply for visa tomorrow. I hope there will be no problem in the visa application, really hope. fingers crossed.

Hi Aneesh
Please help me out!
I got a job offer from Belgian Company, and my proposed employer hired a company for Relocation to Belgium from India. Today I sent the documents required by them to file work permit, I am  Graduate engineer with 10years of experience, what are the possibilities to get the work permit? I think they will apply for High skill employee.
I am anxious to know because my daughter's school already resumes & i have to pay the admission fee etc.and secondary i have to resign as well.
Please guide?

If your company applies for the work permit, in normal cases, it goes through. Rejection is very exceptional. So, do not worry.

The agency would be able to tell you in 2-3 weeks max, if your work permit application is approved or not. Proceed with your resignation only after the work permit approval. Most of the organizations here, are aware of the time required in visa processsing, etc, and will provide you enough time to join.

Feel free to message me if you have more specific questions.

Thanks Aneesh!

Thank you Aneesh for answer the last post!
Now I have more questions for you?
My employer already applied for WP and they intimate me to arrange legalized documents for visa "D".
1. I got the Police clearance Certificate from the passport office. Do it required any legalization? if yes from where I have to get it in India?

2. Since I was born in 1980; birth certificate concept was not there than, Will I require birth certificate in the commune after getting WP and Visa?
I tried to get the birth certificate but it will cost me around 50K, that too much............bri..
if required what is the alternative, Will it be okay to get a notary attestation on the matriculation score card. Please guide.

3. I have already arranged BC & PCC for my wife and kids. Any thing special I have to keep in mind for visa of my family.

1. YES. You must get your PCC (and also other documents like BCs, Marriage Cert) apostled. Attestation (pre-requisite for apostle) is to be done in your state government and apostle is to be done in MEA (ministry of external affairs) - New Delhi. Yes, the documents has physically to reach New Delhi You can use VFS (http://www.vfs-be-in.com/additionalservices.html  -- see Attestation and Apostille ) to do this or any travel agent (a trusted one of course) or go to the office and do it on your own.

2. For the main applicant, birth certificate is not mandatory to apply for D-type visa. For dependents, it is mandatory. Make sure their DOB and names match in their passports and birth certificates. (Wife's name change after marriage is acceptable). Some communes (local offices) may demand birth certificate for main applicant also when you register here for the residence permit. I was in the same situation as yours when I moved (I had no BC). For safer side, I secured one. The procedure is very complex, but not as expensive as you wrote. I spent hardly any money other than the government fees to get one. But yes, it will depend on the offices Ok. I was never asked the birth certificate when I registered here. The plus point is that now I have one, for any future requirements (for another country or so) .. And, notary attested matriculation cert is not treated as a replacement of BC.

3. Hmmm.. Nothing comes to my mind other than apostle of the documents. And also, the documents must not be (by issued date) older than 6 months. That means you have to get a new copy issued of each of these documents. (you may have already figured this out).

Hope this helps.

Regards
Aneesh

Thank you Aneesh for your time!

I was little bit busy to arranging rest of documents and on some official tour for the last week so couldn't respond you.
Cheers!!!!!Finally yesterday I got the good news, My relocation consultant received the work permit & today she will dispatch it to me...
I am relocating around Sint-truiden, Hope to see you around!!!!!!!!!

thanks so much!
Regards
Rajinder

Cool. Thats very good news..

See you soon..

Hi

can someone please provide me some information.
I am currently living in Belgiumandmy Type b Wp is valid till december.
However i have found a new job here,so my new emoloyer will apply for a new work permit in June...will there be any issue on my new Wp..

Lookind forward for your help

rgds
krish