Unlimited work permit : does my employer know that I applied

AlanSparrow,

Here is my experience:

1. I do not believe my employer was informed. I certainly did not inform them and they never mentioned being informed to me. I also didn't inform them when I received my L card, but I had to request some information when I applied for nationality so they are aware that I am doing that.
2. Once you have it, your employer will not be involved in renewing your residence card. This will be on you, and you have to make sure you start the process early enough. In my case, when I tried to renew four months in advance, my commune told me to commune back to months before my card expired. When I did that, however, my residency permit expired. Two weeks before it expired I contacted IBZ and they told me that the commune was wrong and I should have been able to request the renewal four weeks in advance. Be prepared to push your commune four months before expiration.
3. For me, the unlimited work permit was granted in three days, and new residency (under the unlimited work permit) took another 2.5 weeks. So the whole process was about three weeks. This was in Brussels, so there is no guarantee that other regions move that fast, and there may be factors about me that made this process move quickly.

Keep in mind, that even if you have the unlimited work permit, you have to remain employed in order to renew residency. If you are laid off around the time you are renewing your residency it can be problematic, and just like under the limited single permit, you are obligated to find a job within 3 months of a layoff or you can be kicked out of Belgium. Importantly, if you have the unlimited work permit it should make it easier for you to find a new job, whether or not you are laid off, because your new employer will not have to sponsor you for a work permit.

Thank you for your response, I once renewed a residence permit 6 months before it ended because I got a contract renewal, so I feel like what happened to you was the commune not wanting to work. But that was with a single limited permit, so idk.

In terms of the new residence card, is the expiration date the same as your current work contract (if you're CDD) ?

1-No, they will not know. Its your own application

2-Yes.As long as you have a work contract you can renew it.Just last 3 months payslips and health insurance need for renewal.Easyly can do that in municipality.

3-Depend on the region.Mıne took 6 months to complete.SP was already issued but municipality was waiting.

Thats why time to time call the authorities.

Good luck

Hi,

I have a question please,

if you get unlimited work permit, how long would be your A card?

is it valid just for one year and you need to renew it every year, or it is valid for 3 years?