In 2022, Belgium received 120 000 new immigrants on a long-term or permanent basis (including changes of status and free mobility), 7.4% more than in 2021. This figure comprises 57% immigrants benefitting from free mobility, 6% labour migrants, 28% family members (including accompanying family) and 9% humanitarian migrants. Around 9 000 permits were issued to tertiary-level international students and 1 200 to temporary and seasonal labour migrants (excluding intra-EU migration). In addition, 215 000 intra-EU postings were recorded in 2022, a 24% increase compared to 2021. These posted workers are generally on short-term contracts.
Ukraine, Romania and France were the top three nationalities of newcomers in 2022. Among the top 15 countries of origin, Ukraine registered the strongest increase (48 000) and France the largest decrease (100) in flows to Belgium compared to the previous year.
In 2023, the number of first asylum applicants decreased by ‑8.8%, to reach around 29 000. The majority of applicants came from Syria (3 900), the West Bank and Gaza Strip (3 000) and Afghanistan (2 500). The largest increase since 2022 concerned nationals of Türkiye (800) and the largest decrease nationals of Afghanistan (‑3 200). Of the 28 000 decisions taken in 2023, 45% were positive.
Emigration of Belgian citizens to OECD countries increased by 3% in 2022, to 28 000. Approximately 27% of this group migrated to France, 21% to Spain and 12% to the Netherlands..
The reception network for asylum seekers has been struggling to accommodate new demand since mid‑2021; not all asylum seekers have been able to be immediately accommodated by the reception network due to a lack of places. The Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum-Seekers (Fedasil) undertook several measures in response to the reception crisis, such as the recruitment of extra staff and the opening of new centres. In 2023, 14 new reception centres were opened, of which seven managed directly by Fedasil. In 2024, nine new reception centres opened in Gand and Ypres.
Fedasil has redoubled its efforts to set up one‑stop shops to improve information and refer migrants in precarious situations to the appropriate services (medical, health, administrative, legal, etc.). An information point with such an approach, managed by Fedasil and in collaboration with Caritas, opened its doors in Brussels in September 2023 to all migrants, regardless of their legal status. A similar project is currently under development and will be in operation in Charleroi.
A number of new policies were introduced in Belgium regarding recruitment of non-EEA workers to address skills shortages. The Flemish Region changed its labour migration authorisation process to streamline the admission process while encouraging utilisation of the resident labour force in the Region, affecting notably third-country nationals. Starting 1 May 2024, the new policy is motivated by the partial implementation of the EU Blue Card and ICT Directives, the reinforcement of the concentric model of labour migration, and in preventing fraud and abuses.
Key changes include the requirement for employers to provide documents attesting an individual’s qualifications, competencies and experience for medium-skilled shortage occupation applications. Additionally, only labour market test applications for professions on VDAB (public employment service) shortage occupations list will be accepted, and employers undergoing a labour market test process must now publish their vacancies on both the EURES (European Employment Network) and VDAB websites for a minimum of nine weeks, up from of six weeks.
The revised EU Blue Card Directive (2021/1 883) and the corrections to the implementation of the EU Intracompany Transferees (ICTs) Directive (2014/66) have been partially implemented. These include allowing professional experience to replace academic qualifications for IT sector and ICT managers and some specialists, raising the salary threshold to 130% of the average income (EUR 60 621 annual taxable salary in 2024), and allowing employees to change employers within the first 12 months of employment without applying for a new work permit.
The Brussels-Capital Region enacted new economic migration legislation, effective from 1 October 2024. This reform introduces a stricter salary definition to enhance eligibility for work permits, modifies the labour market testing system, establishes a Shortage Occupation regime, expands exemptions for work permits, and simplifies the process for changing employers under the EU Blue Card scheme.
Belgium’s special expatriate tax regime was changed in 2024. It now applies only to gross incomes exceeding EUR 75 000 annually (with exemptions for researchers). Other former beneficiaries are now considered tax residents.
For further information: www.dofi.ibz.be | www.emploi.belgique.be | www.myria.be | www.statbel.fgov.be
