Single permit if I lost my job

Hi,

To the best of my knowledge (and enquiry from the respective Labour Laws department), Single work permit is indeed tied to the employer, which unfortunately means that you won't be able to work with it for another employer. If an employer shortlists you for a position/job, they have to start the process again for a separate work permit.

Best,
Sanjay

thank you!
is it possible that I have a right to stay in belgium for searching new job? it looks like I have to leave the country right after the day I'm fired, no matter that I have visa. and company doesn't have to pay compensation in case if they fire me without a reason?
i know that for belgians it's fine, but if somebody came from aboard we don't have any rights for these things?

You should go to Belgium and apply for RP, and from the day your employer notified the unemployment to the ministry, you could stay in Belgium for 90 day to fin another job, and re-run the process for new single permit... sometimes employer forgot to notify that you do not work anymore, if so you will have basically more than 90 days

thanks very much for information. could you please clarify it works from the moment when I applied for RP or from the moment I received it? because in the moment when I'll be fired RP will not be ready yet. they said it takes 2 weeks normally until I get the card.

Following this thread as it concerns Single permit.

I am not very sure but the process of Single permit itself was started to limit the number of expats. In the previous process, if the WP expires, the person still had a valid RP for 1 more month in which it was indeed possible to find a new job.

But now, if your Single RP expires, you may not be allowed to stay anymore.

This is just what I heard from friends, but its best to check with the concerned authorities.

Hope things work out for you.

wazaki123 wrote:

You should go to Belgium and apply for RP, and from the day your employer notified the unemployment to the ministry, you could stay in Belgium for 90 day to fin another job, and re-run the process for new single permit... sometimes employer forgot to notify that you do not work anymore, if so you will have basically more than 90 days

Dangerous position statement. Because at the slightest problem, the person will be expelled permanently.

i am in similar position... I also dont know the answer. As soon as i know i will write my experience here.

bulutbahadir, Do you have any update ?

I'm in the same position, too. I lost my job this week while my single permit is still valid for 10 months. I don't know if I still have the residence right or not. If so, for how long I can stay to look for a job, is it limited to 90 days or to the expiration date of the single permit.

I will share my experience once I know

Hi.
I am in similar situation.
Do you have any news?

Thanks

Dear Friends,

My wife is also in the same situation kindly real time experience friends please guide.

its just 65 days she worked in that company and now they are firing here saying position not available.

we both were working in UAE for the past 6 years and we moved to belgium hoping that we will have good future in belgium.

Please guide and help

Regards

Nirmal Raj

Hello,

Is it not possible to ask your employer to

a> search for a new project for you ?
b> you ask you company to stop the salary payouts as start taking government benefits ( only if you have paid you social security for 2   yrs). In that meantime, develop your skillset and search for a new job as your SP will still be valid with the old employer.

Just my thoughts, not sure if this could be implemented but you can always have a conversation with your employer.

All the best.

Ro.

Any updates? I'm also interested in knowing what happens to your immigration status if you lose your job as a non-EU national? Do you have 90 days to leave the country or you can stay until the expiry of the resience permit?

You cannot stay till the end of the residence permit, if you loose your job.
Unless your residence permit validity ends before 90 days.

Your residence permit itself is based on the work permit you are issued. If you loose your job = work permit validity ends, your residence permit validity is finished too.

Cheers,
N

Hi,

I am having a strange situation.
I have been living in Belgium for the past 5 years and is under Single permit type - A (valid till November 2022).
I have applied for the permanant residence type D card last week, and have received the article 16 from my commune.

I have been informed by my employer today that, I am not there in the future plans. So I will get laid off very soon, and possibly serving the 13 weeks notice period. I am eligible to get unemployment benefit after my last working month (possibly April).
I have started my job search as well to avoid these difficulties.

I was thinking about different options, like finding another employer with work permit, starting freelance activity etc. But I have few concerns so, could anyone please clarify these concerns?

1. Is there are any consequences to the permanant residence application, if I receive the unemployment benefits?
2. I beleive, I have 3 months from last day of current employment to stay in Belgium to find for another job, During this time, can I apply for the professional card, and does that have any consequence on my PR application?
3. If I can apply for the professional card, how much time do I have to start a freelance activity once I have the professional card with me?
4. If I am able to find another employer who processes work permit, will there be a problem for PR application, if there is a gap between the employment?

Thanks a lot in advance for the help and answers,
Arun

You can apply for a freelance / professional card. Typically, you get for 1 to 2 years. You can switch work contracts. You can stay in Belgium and search for a new contract. This is a bit easy compare to employment.

@Jimsen Thank you for the suggestion.
Does this have any affect on my PR application?

As far as you pay Social Security & taxes as a freelancer, there is no impact on your PR.

Thank you for the clarification.

I worked in Italy for 2 . 5 years . Now a company hired to me from Italy . Now I am working in Belgium now I got one year work permit . Also one year visa . I really don't know about my card .. my employer applied for it .. I have A card . I have some questions .
1 .. in future my employer fire to me .. can I find another job and continue .
2 . I want to settle in Belgium ..so how can I change my card like normal card ( 5 year card or unlimited card ) .
3. After one year I will go for renewal so 2 nd card will be for 2 years or more .
4 . I want to stay in Belgium so tell me what should i do for normal documents

My card ….A   BEPERKT  VERBLIJF

Please help me

I joined my employer remotely from India.

After lots of effort I got my WP and RP and VISA type-D stamped (valid for 1 year).

As I was planning to travel to Belgium now my employer says they are not continuing as

the position is not required now.

Quite unfortunate

But now I am wondering  if can I still travel to Belgium or any other Schengen country

and stay their for couple of months and apply search another job?

arunkumartp wrote:

Hi,

I am having a strange situation.
I have been living in Belgium for the past 5 years and is under Single permit type - A (valid till November 2022).
I have applied for the permanant residence type D card last week, and have received the article 16 from my commune.

I have been informed by my employer today that, I am not there in the future plans. So I will get laid off very soon, and possibly serving the 13 weeks notice period. I am eligible to get unemployment benefit after my last working month (possibly April).
I have started my job search as well to avoid these difficulties.

I was thinking about different options, like finding another employer with work permit, starting freelance activity etc. But I have few concerns so, could anyone please clarify these concerns?

1. Is there are any consequences to the permanant residence application, if I receive the unemployment benefits?
2. I beleive, I have 3 months from last day of current employment to stay in Belgium to find for another job, During this time, can I apply for the professional card, and does that have any consequence on my PR application?
3. If I can apply for the professional card, how much time do I have to start a freelance activity once I have the professional card with me?
4. If I am able to find another employer who processes work permit, will there be a problem for PR application, if there is a gap between the employment?

Thanks a lot in advance for the help and answers,
Arun

Hello Arun,

Hope you are doing really good. 
Could you update regarding your situation what eventually happened.

Did you tried reaching out to any of the below agencies for formal response in written.

    Actiris - Brussels regional employment agency
    Tour Astro
    Avenue de l'Astronomie 14, 1210 Brussels (and 17 regional branches)
    Phone: 0800 35 123 (Jobseekers line)
    Email: [email protected]
    Online: www.actiris.be (FR/NL)

    Federal Public Service Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue
    Rue Ernest Blerot, 1, 1070 Brussels
    Email: [email protected]
    Online: www.emploi.belgique.be (FR/NL)

    Federal Public Service Social Security
    Centre administratif Botanique
    Finance Tower
    Boulevard du Jardin Botanique 50 - box 100, 1000 Brussels
    Phone: +32 (0)2 528 60 11
    Online: www.socialsecurity.be (FR/NL) - socialsecurity.fgov.be

No you cant. Your Visa purpose is to work for the employer who applied for you. If they wont take you anymore than that WP is deemed to be canceled or if you still try to enter Belgium then you may face troubles. Remember, already having a WP and want to change employer needs anyway a letter from the previous employer and a conclusion of work contract. The authority will check again before granting you another one anyway.

Hello all,

I have a question regarding the process for changing employers while on a single permit (limited).

From the information I've received, it appears that if an employee wants to change their employer, the new company only needs to request a renewal of the permit and not initiate the entire process from scratch. I understand that this renewal process typically takes 6-9 weeks.

With that in mind, if I were to resign from my current position tomorrow (20/02/2023), I was wondering when the notice period of 6 weeks would need to begin. Specifically, would it start from the date of my resignation letter, or would it need to begin the following month?

I appreciate any insight you can provide on this matter.

Thank you in advance for your help!!

Hello all,

I have a question regarding the process for changing employers while on a single permit (limited).

From the information I've received, it appears that if an employee wants to change their employer, the new company only needs to request a renewal of the permit and not initiate the entire process from scratch. I understand that this renewal process typically takes 6-9 weeks.

With that in mind, if I were to resign from my current position tomorrow (20/02/2023), I was wondering when the notice period of 6 weeks would need to begin. Specifically, would it start from the date of my resignation letter, or would it need to begin the following month?

I appreciate any insight you can provide on this matter.

Thank you in advance for your help!!

@hemants Hi, is there ant update for this subtopic ? Thank you,

Hi, I came to Belgium with single permit and I lived some big problems with my sponsor company. I think company canceled my contract ( I guess ) also I didint recieve any letter from immagration office. I have a residence permit and also id card  to 2025.

Questions ;

1) when I must leave the country ?

2) can I travel with my id after permit cancellation the other Schengen country without Belgium ? I want to use like a visa to en of 2025.

@Ahmedo123 If you dont have permanent residence, officially you need to find a job in 90days, or leave Belgium if you still dont have a job. The actual process however is much longer. Depending on, when your sponsor company notifies the government to cancel your work permit, you'll generally receive a letter from the ministry that your single permit has been revoked , followed by a letter asking you to visit your commune. When you do visit your commune, they will take back the residence permit card that you have. Once that is done, there will a police check at your last address to confirm if you have indeed left Belgium.

The residence permit is only valid if a work permit is granted. If your single (work) permit expires, or you are terminated from your job, you are only allowed to stay 90 days after that. However, if your residence permit is also expiring within these 90 days then you will be required to get an Annex 51 from the municipal administration. This document does not give access to the labour market, but you can stay.

Hi, I lost my job, but I have a secondary professional card and a running contract. Can I continue working in secondary professional card until I find my next job ?

@Sels_01 same position as you.

Basically you need to estimate the timing for your resignation letter since it can take 6 weeks for the change of employment to be approved.

Then you need to go to your commune to get the temporary annex 49 until your new single permit is processed.

@Guest123856 do you have an update on your situation?

Hi, I terminated my employment contract last December and am looking for a new job in Belgium. According to my ex-employer, they notified the Migrant Office about my termination around the end of January, but I haven't heard anything from my commune so far.

I suppose I have to technically leave Belgium within 90 days from the termination date unless I get a new job. But does this situation mean I can stay in Belgium as long as I haven't gotten any notice from my commune? Or should I leave no matter the situation?

@Iz.Ali hello,my A residence permit from wallonia expired in April 1 st, and I am also planning to get professional card but the commune didn't send me any notification, what should I do ? contact them myself thanks guys☺️