Work visa
.
25 Sep 2019
.
Work Visa from Guinea Bissau to Belgium
- With a work visa, foreigners can work or take up a job while in Belgium.
- You need a work permit to legally work in Belgium. This must be applied on your behalf by your employer.
- Only with a work permit can applicants be allowed to obtain a long-stay visa in Belgium.
- The work permit is also known as a Blue Card in Belgium.
- The work permit is categorized into three types:
- C work permit- is valid for all professions and all employers. It is valid for a limited time and must be renewed each year.
- B-work permit - valid for one employer and runs for one year, after which it can be renewed (by the same employer, usually for the same job or job classification). If you change employers, your new employer must apply for a new B permit. You may find that you have to return to your home country and re-apply for a residence visa before you can start your new job! Once you’ve renewed a B permit four or more times, i.e. have lived and worked in Belgium for four years on the same permit, you can receive an unlimited A permit.
- A-work permit - allows you to work for any employer in Belgium for an unlimited period of time. These permits are issued only to any foreigner who has lived and worked in Belgium for four years on a B permit and those with ten years’ uninterrupted (legal) residency in Belgium.
- The B permit is the standard form of work permit for most foreigners. Applying for a B permit is the responsibility of the employer wishing to hire a non-EU foreigner.
- Your potential employer has to provide a certificate of good health and three passport-size photos, with a copy of the proposed employment contract to the Ministry of Labour.
- The Ministry of Labour must determine that there’s no Belgian or other EU nationals who can fill the position before your visa is approved.
- It takes up to 12 weeks for a B permit to be granted.
- Some categories of foreign employees and self-employed (EU citizens, too) must declare their activities in Belgium before starting to work in Belgium. This is called LIMOSA Declaration.
