Unlimited Work permit Brussels

Really! I have not heard of this rule, I thought you have to work for 4 years uninterrupted in order to apply for unlimited work permit. it will be great.

but if I understand well there are two ways to apply for citizenship:

1- if you worked uninterruptedly for 4 years then you can apply for unlimited work permit.

2- if you reside in Belgium for 5 years uninterrupted, you can apply for unlimited residence permit and from there you can apply for the citizenship  (I believe this is regardless if you were studying or not but not sure) the fact you reside in Belgium for 5 years and providing proof of participating in Belgian community and integration, those are points towards the citizenship

I am interested to know what others will reply regarding the rule of 2.5 years work thing.

it is a new rule only for Brussels, check out this website:

https://economie-emploi.brussels/autori … l-illimite

It seems to me that you're talking about the Indefinite Single Permit, in that case I think it's an A-card, but not tied to your employer, meaning that with the same card you can leave your current employer and join a new one without applying for a new Single Permit!

Flanders:

https://www.vlaanderen.be/en/working-en … inite-term

Wallonia:

https://emploi.wallonie.be/en/home/trav … mitee.html

More information:

https://www.ey.com/en_be/technical/tax/ … in-belgium

@Ahmed_Talaat

Hi. If Iive in Flanders but worked in Brussels do I quality for this unlimited single permit?

@newtonwinters

To be honest, I don't know if it depends on your location of residence or location of work, so you need to follow the rules of the dependent location!

Maybe you can ask your city hall?

@newtonwinters

I Don't think so.

I am in the reverse situation, and was refused the unlimited WP in Brussels

Hello,

I worked on Deputation for 2 years and it's been 1 year I started working with Belgium local employer, according to rule mentioned here - https://economie-emploi.brussels/autori … l-illimite

30 months if workpermit is approved by Brussels Region, for my case my work permit is approved by Brussels region only.

Am I eligible to apply for unlimited work permit? or they will not consider 2 years of deputation duration?

@Chicks24

Work permit approval itself is not enough. In this period you should be able to proove (compte individual) your 30 months activity.

@maharaji1984

yes I am continuously working since last 30 months, my question is specific to deputation period will they consider 24 months on deputation +6 months on local Job (as I started contributing to social security after joining local job). or I need to wait completely 30 months while on local job?

Check here https://mycareer.socialsecurity.be your past activities. If 6 months appears which I belive so then you may need rest 24 months.

If not you are fine

Good luck

@maharaji1984

Thanks it helped, it showing only 6 months ..I think I need to wait another 24 months

@Chicks24

Good luck

Hello - I’m sorry for stupid question. In order to apply for unlimited work permit - one need to satisfy 30 months of work authorization in Brussels and a stay of 10 years is needed in Belgium or 10 years is just a window to check our employment history?

Also the validity of unlimited work permit is for 1 year, so in case if someone loses their job , are they free to stay in Belgium and search for another job without any hard deadlines (like 90 days for A card else we need to leave Belgium)

@krish2190

Hello , no 10 years needed. 30 months working is enough.

Unlimitid work permit is unlimited. As long as you are in Belgium you can work where ever you want to.

@maharaji1984 thank you very much for the clarification

@krish2190

Your welcome.

Good luck

Hello everyone,

I am a Turkish citizen. I have been working as a research engineer at VUB in the Brussels-Capital Region since June 1, 2023. I completed my 30 months of employment as of December 1. I submitted my application for a permanent work permit through the online portal on January 13. I have not changed employers since I started working.

Has anyone here recently gone through this application process? If so, how long did it take for you to receive a decision? I would really appreciate it if you could share your experiences.

Kind regards,

@mugeebilgen In my case, I applied on the 1st of September. I received Annex 46 on the 21st of November, and about two weeks later I got my new ID card.

By the way, I live in Flanders. The first part of the process (work permit approval) depends on the regional backlog.

Best regards,

@ozlemozdemir227

When did you applied when you have 48 months exact completion time?

I am Turkish citizen, for me even 2 years enough!

Hi Muge,

indefinite work permit will be granted in 2-4 weeks

but your file will be forwarded to IBZ for residency permit, which will take up to 4 months to receive the decision.

good luck

@ozlemozdemir227

Hi,

Thanks a lot for the reply!

@umutgulum

Hi,

Thanks a lot for the reply! I know that after the work permit approval, they will send my application to IBZ. My current RP card is valid until May 31st, 2028. In this case, is it possible for those four months to be completed more quickly?

@mugeebilgen

Hi Muge,

noep, your current residency permit has nothing to do with your ongoing application. Unfortunately, your new residency permit will be valid for only 1 year and  this 1 year will start from the day its granted.

@umutgulum

Hi!

Oh really? How it is possible? Can they decrease my residence card duration? Since my last application I granted annex 47 till May 2028. By the way my contract is indefinite period.

@mugeebilgen

I know that is annoying but that how indefinite work permit works in Belgium. This permit gives you a freedom to work for any kind of occupation for any employer. So, IBZ wants to be sure that your are employed and not getting any fiscal support from any institution. If you have not applied yet, be aware that you will need to renew your ID every year through your commune.

@umutgulum

  and yes, despite you are having a indefinite contract

@ozlemozdemir227

Your residence part which you received after unlimited work permit. Is valid for how many years?

@umutgulum

What happens for the residence of your family member? Suppose that you already have a single permit and you have spouse's residencey dependent on your single permit. What happens for family member once you apply for unlimited work permit?

Thanks

@Mehrdad_AS

Nothing changes on spouse’s status. Since you will have a new expiry date when you obtain your indefinite work permit, when renewal time comes for your spouse, his/her new expiry date of residency will be the same as yours. The rest procedure remains same.

@Mehrdad_AS

in my case I got unlimited permit for 1 year. My daughter's A card at that time was valid 2 years more. I tried to change it and they refused, said she changes when her card expires. By that time she was eligible for L card, applied and she got her L card after 5 no-rejection answer months, (3 months before A card expired) I got my L two months ealier.

@gannam @umutgulum

Understood, thanks both for clarification.

Actually the confusion comes from the usual process when the person with Limited Single Permit (A card) intrupt his/her work and the dependent receive a letter from government with 3 month deadline of removal.

So I was thinking that a change in residence permit from limited to unlimited still affect the residence of dependent and therefore should be renewed based on the new unlimited residence duration.

But why did you wanted to reduce the 2-year permit to 1-year? was there any reason behind this?

@Mehrdad_AS

nope, no specific reasons, I thought the same - that she needs to follow my card validity as her card was tied to my status. Previously we got A cards simultaneously with the same validity dates. So thus the confusion.

@umutgulum

could you please help me a bit to understand ?

Assuming the work permit component is approved in 2-4 weeks and then, after 3-4 months, you get the residence permit component, you will get an A card with 8 months of validity left?

Thanks in advance.

@Mehrdad_AS

No..the new A card will be valid for 1 year, from the date annex 46 was approved. In the mail from the ministry of interior, the mention the validity date CLEARLY.

I applied on January 2, 2026. Work part was approved on January 9th 2026. Annex 46 approved on 10 April 2026.

New card is valid till 10 April 2027.

@pranav2424

thank you very much. it really helps to know this.

@Mehrdad_AS

@umutgulum is right.

I got my unlimited work approval on January 22nd. I recieved my annex 46 on April 16th. When I renewed my card, the validity is one year. However they started to count one year from the same date as my work permit approval date. So it's valid till January 22, 2027.

@pranav2424

Which region did you apply? I applied Brussels region and it was not like that

@Mehrdad_AS
@umutgulum is right.
I got my unlimited work approval on January 22nd. I recieved my annex 46 on April 16th. When I renewed my card, the validity is one year. However they started to count one year from the same date as my work permit approval date. So it's valid till January 22, 2027. - @mugeebilgen

Can anyone help with this? I hear contradictory statements, but it really affects my plan, so I really want some people to comment on this.

Is the expiration date (one year) of the unlimited single permit count from the date of WORK COMPONENT approval or from the ANNEX 46 approval? 

Thanks to all of you.