What is the Belgium EU Blue Card?
The EU Blue Card is Belgium's route for highly qualified non-EU professionals, issued under the EU Blue Card Directive through Belgium's Single Permit procedure. It is designed for degree-holders in well-paid roles and carries two advantages over the standard highly skilled Single Permit: EU-wide mobility (the right to move to another EU member state after about 18 months) and no labour market test.
As with all Belgian work authorisations, the rules are regional — Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia each set their own salary thresholds and run their own procedures, and the competent region depends on where your main workplace is located. The employer files the application; you complete the visa and arrival steps.
Belgium's threshold sits higher than most: compare the German, Spanish and Portuguese Blue Cards for lower-salary EU entry points.
Note: Information on this page is for guidance only and does not constitute immigration advice. Requirements change — verify current figures at the official government source before applying.
Do you qualify?
You must meet two requirements. No labour market test applies. The salary threshold depends on the region where your main workplace is located.
An employment contract of at least 6 months with a Belgian employer, at a gross salary meeting the Blue Card threshold for the region of your main workplace (from ~€56,976/year in Brussels to €68,815/year in Wallonia in 2026). A reduced threshold may apply for recent graduates and shortage occupations under the revised Directive.
A recognised higher education qualification of at least 3 years' duration. For certain roles (including ICT), relevant professional experience can substitute under the revised Directive. Qualifications may need legalisation or translation into Dutch, French or German depending on the region.
The 2026 salary requirements
Belgium sets Blue Card thresholds by region, not nationally — the competent region depends on where your main workplace is located, not where you live. The 2026 figures below are gross; confirm the current regional figure before applying.
A reduced threshold (commonly cited around €53,390) may apply to Blue Card holders with less than 3 years' experience and to recent graduates. Versus the Single Permit: the standard highly skilled Single Permit has lower thresholds (Brussels €3,703.44/month, Wallonia €53,220/year) but no EU mobility — the Blue Card costs more in required salary but unlocks the right to move within the EU. Tax note: Belgian income tax is among Europe's highest (25–50%) plus ~13% employee social security; a special inbound-taxpayer regime (gross above €75,000) can materially reduce the burden.
What you need to apply
The employer files the Single Permit / Blue Card application with the competent regional authority; you complete the visa and arrival steps. From May 2026, all regions require digital submission, and the employer must be registered in the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (CBE).
If you do not have any of the documents below, read the FAQs section for further guidance.
Application timeline
From the employer filing to the permit being issued typically takes 2–4 months, with a legal maximum of 90 days for a complete file. The region drives the speed.
Most common delay: citing an outdated salary figure or the wrong region's threshold. Because thresholds change each year and differ by region, applications quoting 2025 figures — or the wrong region — are refused. Confirm the current figure for the exact region of your workplace before filing; Brussels in particular rejects even small shortfalls.
The employer submits digitally to the competent regional authority, citing the correct 2026 salary figure and attaching the contract and diploma. Incomplete applications are inadmissible and reset the clock.
Handled by: your employer
The regional authority assesses the Blue Card component; the federal Immigration Office handles residence in parallel. Flanders may decide in 15–30 days (fast-lane); Wallonia: ~4–6 weeks; Brussels: ~6–8 weeks.
Handled by: the region and the Immigration Office
On approval, if you are outside Belgium, apply for a type D visa at the Belgian embassy in your country and provide biometrics.
Handled by: you
Travel to Belgium and register with your local commune within 8 days of arrival. Collect your EU Blue Card (electronic residence card) and begin work.
Handled by: you
Frequently asked questions
EU-wide mobility. After roughly 18 months on a Belgian EU Blue Card, you can move to another EU member state and apply for a Blue Card there under a simplified procedure — something the standard highly skilled Single Permit does not offer. The trade-off is a higher salary threshold. If you may want to work elsewhere in the EU, the Blue Card is the stronger choice.
In the early period, changing employers generally requires updating your authorisation, and restrictions can apply during the first year. After that — and especially once you gain mobility rights — the Blue Card offers more flexibility than the standard permit. Notify the authorities of any change and confirm the current rules with your new employer.
Yes, and on favourable terms. Blue Card holders benefit from more generous family reunification rules: your spouse and dependent children can join, your spouse can work in Belgium, and family members receive residence permits linked to yours.
Belgium is a federal state where economic migration is a regional competence. Brussels, Flanders, Wallonia and the German-speaking Community each set their own Blue Card thresholds and procedures. The competent region is determined by where your main workplace is located, not where you live — so the same job can carry a different threshold depending on which region the office sits in.
The federal immigration fee is €152 (2026), and regional fees may apply (Flanders charges a regional fee via its portal). The employer typically bears the application fees. Your personal costs are document legalisation, translation, the type D visa and the residence card — typically €300–€600.
Not procedurally — both run through the same Single Permit system with no labour market test for highly skilled roles. The difference is the salary bar: the Blue Card requires a notably higher salary. If you meet it, the Blue Card gives you more (EU mobility, favourable family terms) for the same process. If your salary falls between the two thresholds, the highly skilled Single Permit is the route.
You cannot apply for the EU Blue Card without a qualifying job offer from a Belgian employer. Every job listed on Workbeyond is from employers who sponsor international talent to work in Belgium. Use the filters to narrow by profession, city and seniority level to find roles that match your criteria.
Find visa-sponsored jobs in Belgium
Every job listed on Workbeyond is from an employer who sponsors international workers. For degree-holders in well-paid roles, the Blue Card's higher salary bar comes with EU mobility — a strong reason to target it. Use the filters to narrow by profession, city and seniority level.
Planning a move? See the Belgium destination guide.