Belgium’s Council of Ministers has approved draft legislation that raises the evidentiary bar for EU citizens who come to Belgium to look for work. Under the bill, endorsed on 2 July 2026 by Asylum and Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt, job-seekers who apply for an EU residence card will have to present proof of both job applications and registration with a regional employment agency such as Actiris. After six months they must demonstrate a ‘realistic chance’ of securing work; failure to do so could see their right of residence withdrawn. The proposal responds to what the minister calls ‘benefit tourism’. In 2025, Belgium issued 1,266 EU job-seeker residence cards but also refused 705 applications and terminated 202 others. Authorities claim some applicants ultimately apply for social assistance without making sustained efforts to find employment.
![Belgium tightens residence rules for EU job-seekers]()
Companies and individuals navigating these evolving requirements may benefit from specialised visa and residency support. VisaHQ, an online visa consultancy, offers up-to-date guidance on Belgian entry and stay rules, including the documents that job-seekers and their family members must gather under the proposed legislation. Their Belgium portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) provides step-by-step checklists and the option to outsource the filing process, helping applicants avoid incomplete dossiers that risk immediate inadmissibility.
The new rules also tighten family-reunification files: incomplete dossiers will be deemed inadmissible at the outset, reducing administrative back-and-forth for local communes. For multinationals based in Belgium, the shift carries practical implications. Intra-EU transfers of spouses or adult children who intend to job-hunt will need more thorough documentation. HR teams should adjust relocation checklists to include multiple forms of labour-market engagement – for example, proof of vocational training or evidence of employer interviews – to satisfy the six-month review. Failing to plan could result in dependants losing residence status and, by extension, access to Belgium’s social security and health-care systems. Immigration lawyers note that the proposal dovetails with the EU’s new Migration Pact, which allows member states to impose proportionate conditions on economically inactive movers. Should the Belgian bill clear parliament after the summer recess, the rules are expected to enter into force in Q4 2026, giving current EU job-seekers a transitional period to shore up their files. Businesses should therefore audit current assignee families, alert them to the forthcoming checks and, where necessary, arrange career-coaching or Dutch/French language courses that can be presented as evidence of active job-search efforts. Failure to adapt could see talent-pipeline strategies disrupted by residence revocations mid-assignment.
Companies and individuals navigating these evolving requirements may benefit from specialised visa and residency support. VisaHQ, an online visa consultancy, offers up-to-date guidance on Belgian entry and stay rules, including the documents that job-seekers and their family members must gather under the proposed legislation. Their Belgium portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) provides step-by-step checklists and the option to outsource the filing process, helping applicants avoid incomplete dossiers that risk immediate inadmissibility.
The new rules also tighten family-reunification files: incomplete dossiers will be deemed inadmissible at the outset, reducing administrative back-and-forth for local communes. For multinationals based in Belgium, the shift carries practical implications. Intra-EU transfers of spouses or adult children who intend to job-hunt will need more thorough documentation. HR teams should adjust relocation checklists to include multiple forms of labour-market engagement – for example, proof of vocational training or evidence of employer interviews – to satisfy the six-month review. Failing to plan could result in dependants losing residence status and, by extension, access to Belgium’s social security and health-care systems. Immigration lawyers note that the proposal dovetails with the EU’s new Migration Pact, which allows member states to impose proportionate conditions on economically inactive movers. Should the Belgian bill clear parliament after the summer recess, the rules are expected to enter into force in Q4 2026, giving current EU job-seekers a transitional period to shore up their files. Businesses should therefore audit current assignee families, alert them to the forthcoming checks and, where necessary, arrange career-coaching or Dutch/French language courses that can be presented as evidence of active job-search efforts. Failure to adapt could see talent-pipeline strategies disrupted by residence revocations mid-assignment.
