Belgium’s Immigration Office registered 2 071 asylum requests in September 2026, down 44 % from September 2024—the final year of the previous ‘Vivaldi’ coalition—and 29 % below the same month in 2025. Minister for Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt credits a mix of national measures and the forthcoming EU Migration Pact for reversing what she calls “unsustainably high inflows.” Among the steps cited are stricter admissibility rules, faster processing times and greater use of detention for applicants considered unlikely to obtain protection. The share of unaccompanied minors declaring themselves at Belgium’s borders has also fallen by half year-on-year to 684 cases up to end-September, easing pressure on specialised reception facilities. Government figures show more than seven out of ten September decisions were negative, triggering return procedures. The cabinet says extra budget lines have been allocated to expand deportation capacity and to fast-track removals of foreign nationals who commit criminal offences while in custody. International employers should note that the policy shift may shorten waiting periods for legitimate humanitarian transferees but will almost certainly tighten checks on applicants who subsequently seek work permits. NGOs have warned that accelerated procedures risk compromising appeal rights, while business groups fear reputational damage if subcontractors are found employing rejected applicants without proper authorisation. The data will feed into parliamentary debates later this month on a separate bill that would allow police to enter private homes without consent to enforce deportations—a measure that, if adopted, could further reshape Belgium’s migration landscape in 2027.
