Working in European countries for non-EU citizens

If you are not an EU/EEA citizen, you need a residence permit and, for most jobs, permission to work. Work permits are a regional matter – Flanders, for example, introduced new rules on 1 January 2026. The main routes:

• Search year after studies: if you graduated from higher education in Belgium, you can get up to 12 months to look for a job or start a business. During this year you have unrestricted access to the labour market. Apply at least 15 days before your student card (A card) expires.
• Highly skilled workers (Flanders): you need a bachelor’s or master’s degree of at least 3 years, and your salary must be at least the average gross annual salary in Belgium – or 80% of it if you are under 30, a nurse or a teacher.
• EU Blue Card (Flanders): for graduates of at least 3-year higher education programmes with a contract of at least 6 months and a salary of at least 130% of the average gross annual salary in Belgium. The regional page still showed the 2025 amounts when we checked.

Details: Immigration Office – search year and Flanders – employing foreign workers (in Dutch). Brussels and Wallonia have their own procedures.