Flanders imposes €180 fee per application for hiring non-EU workers
Flanders to Charge €180 Per Application for Hiring Non-EU Talent
Flanders to levy €180 application charge on employers hiring non-EU workers
Latest News
Belgium raises D-visa handling fee to €250/£225 from 1 July 2026
The FPS Foreign Affairs has confirmed that all long-stay (D) visa applications submitted from 1 July 2026 will cost €250/£225, up from €210. The higher fee affects work-permit holders, family members and students and will apply even to applicants who booked earlier appointments. Companies must update budgets immediately and warn travellers to bring the extra funds to their visa-centre appointments.
Nation-wide strike disrupts Belgian air, rail and bus services
A 24-hour general strike on 30 June paralysed large parts of Belgium’s transport network, with flight cancellations at Brussels Airport, reduced Eurostar and Thalys trains, and widespread bus and metro disruption. Unions are protesting pension and welfare reforms; further industrial action is possible. Companies should review contingency travel and remote-work arrangements for staff in Belgium.
EU Ministers Agree to Tougher Controls on Cross-Border Unemployment Benefits
EU employment ministers meeting in Brussels backed draft rules that will let national agencies monitor cross-border job-seekers more closely and clamp down on fraudulent benefit claims. Belgium supports the initiative, which could cut welfare costs but will add compliance chores for companies that post or relocate staff within the EU.
EU asylum agency updates Afghanistan guidance, impacting Belgian protection decisions
The EUAA published updated Afghanistan country guidance on 30 June, reaffirming that women, journalists and other groups face persecution and that relocation within Afghanistan is generally not viable. Belgian asylum officers routinely follow EUAA analysis, so recognition rates for Afghan applicants – the country’s second-largest caseload – are expected to rise, affecting family-reunification and corporate sponsorship timelines.
Ireland Reveals 2026 EU Presidency Priorities: Migration Pact Implementation High on Agenda
Ireland, which takes over the rotating EU Council Presidency on 1 July 2026, has listed implementation of the new Migration and Asylum Pact, tougher action against migrant smuggling and enhanced port security as headline goals. Belgium will have to adapt quickly, as many of the operational measures will be coordinated from Brussels and could affect visa, reception and return processes for mobile staff and their families.
Brussels Airport urges travellers to arrive early as summer holiday rush triggers long passport queues
Brussels Airport warned on 29 June that heavy summer traffic, a partial e-gate outage and the new EU Entry/Exit System are causing passport-control waits of up to two hours for non-Schengen flights. The operator advises passengers to arrive three hours early and use automated lanes where possible. Continued congestion could disrupt corporate travel, expatriate assignments and connecting rail services.
Belgium raises handling fee for long-stay (D) visas to €250 from 1 July 2026
Belgium’s embassies announced on 29 June that the « handling contribution » for long-stay (type D) visas will rise to €250 (or local-currency equivalent) on 1 July 2026. The 17 % increase affects work, study and family-reunion applicants worldwide and may prompt a last-minute rush for appointments. Higher costs and continuing backlogs could influence corporate location and assignment planning.