Work contract ended during L card review - Unemployment benefits

Hi Everyone!  im trying some luck.

Basically Im trying to find some people with similar experience as mine.

I am non EU worker and could successfully apply for the permanent residence in Brussels to get the L card (I have worked 5+ years as a postdoc) in September 2025. I applied during legal stay and as an active worker. This will take 5 months of review, if it's not rejected (hopefully not!).

The thing is that during this time, my research contract has gone do an end (October 2025, and also my current A permit). To extend my legal stay, I have applied 2.5 months ago for the Search Year for researchers (not students) which would give me 1 year of residence to look for a job (unlimited market). Im still waiting for this A card (Im on annex 15 now). I am looking  for a job now (as part of search year) while my L card application is being processed.

At the same time, I could apply for unemployment  benefits ( since II have C4 form, I have legal stay in Belgium under annex 15 now, while I wait for my A card for the search year). HOWEVER, I am afraid that applying for the unemployment  benefits would negatively impact both my search year permit as well as my L card application (under procces at the inmigratino office). I am also afraid that my L card will be rejected if I dont  quickly get a job.  I have worked a lot for this L card and I don't wanna lose it. I also feel that getting unemployment  benefits it is my right as well and that is quite some money also.

I don't know what to do regarding both my L card application and the unemployment  benefit; Either wait 5 months with no income and looking for a job or apply for chomage and risk my residence permits (both search year and L card application).

My questions are:

1) If during these 5 months I don't have a job. Will the immigration office reject my L card? Note that I have worked and payed taxes and social security  for 5+ years

2) If I apply for unemployment  benefits during these 5 months, will the immigration office reject my L card? Do you think that the inmigration office can know that I have applied for chomage?

3) Should I look for any shitty job (even though I am an established scientist ) so immigration office sees im working?

Any experience will definitely help!! Im quite nervous about this.

Thanks for the support