Employers recruiting non-EU talent for the Flemish region face a new cost hurdle. On 7 July 2026, the Flemish Minister of Work published a decree introducing a €180 regional processing charge for every Single Permit application and renewal submitted on or after 1 September 2026. The Single Permit combines work authorisation and residence permission for stays exceeding 90 days. Until now, companies paid only the federal Immigration Office contribution of €152 (for initial filings) plus any service fees. From September, the total government outlay will climb to €332 for first-time filings and €180 for renewals. Payment must be made online through the ‘Working in Belgium’ portal at the time of submission; applications without proof of payment will be deemed inadmissible.
![Flanders Imposes €180 Regional Processing Fee on Single-Permit Work Applications from 1 September 2026]()
VisaHQ’s Belgium specialists can smooth this new requirement by pre-calculating the additional €180 regional fee, generating the mandatory proof of payment and uploading it directly through their secure dashboard. Via HR teams get real-time status updates on Single Permit applications, reducing the follow-up burden that the Flemish surcharge might otherwise create.
Flemish authorities justify the surcharge as a way to “maintain processing speed without lowering scrutiny,” echoing the region’s broader tightening of economic-migration rules that began on 1 January 2026. Business federations Voka and Agoria criticised the move as ill-timed, citing processing delays already averaging 10-15 weeks and warning that extra costs may deter SMEs from hiring badly needed IT and engineering talent. Global mobility managers should update cost projections for intra-company transfers and new hires destined for Antwerp, Ghent and other Flemish hubs. Assignment letters should clarify who—employer or employee—bears the regional fee. Companies filing large batches in August may save thousands by beating the deadline, but must ensure complete documentation to avoid re-submission after 1 September. The Walloon and Brussels-Capital Regions have not announced similar fees, widening the compliance gap within Belgium’s patchwork immigration landscape.
VisaHQ’s Belgium specialists can smooth this new requirement by pre-calculating the additional €180 regional fee, generating the mandatory proof of payment and uploading it directly through their secure dashboard. Via HR teams get real-time status updates on Single Permit applications, reducing the follow-up burden that the Flemish surcharge might otherwise create.
Flemish authorities justify the surcharge as a way to “maintain processing speed without lowering scrutiny,” echoing the region’s broader tightening of economic-migration rules that began on 1 January 2026. Business federations Voka and Agoria criticised the move as ill-timed, citing processing delays already averaging 10-15 weeks and warning that extra costs may deter SMEs from hiring badly needed IT and engineering talent. Global mobility managers should update cost projections for intra-company transfers and new hires destined for Antwerp, Ghent and other Flemish hubs. Assignment letters should clarify who—employer or employee—bears the regional fee. Companies filing large batches in August may save thousands by beating the deadline, but must ensure complete documentation to avoid re-submission after 1 September. The Walloon and Brussels-Capital Regions have not announced similar fees, widening the compliance gap within Belgium’s patchwork immigration landscape.
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