In its first Annual Migration Management Report, released on 11 November, the European Commission singled out Belgium as one of 12 EU member states that are at ‘high risk’ of migratory pressure. The risk label is reserved for countries whose reception systems face persistent capacity constraints or where secondary movements toward neighbouring states are rising.
According to the report, Belgium registered more than 32,000 asylum applications between July 2024 and June 2025—an increase of 12 % year-on-year—while reception centres remained near capacity despite the recent opening of 2,000 additional beds. Authorities also continue to accommodate over 93,000 Ukrainians under the Temporary Protection Directive. Although irregular border-crossing detections into Belgium fell by 35 % over the same period, onward movements from France and the Netherlands keep reception occupancy rates elevated.
![European Commission flags Belgium as ‘high-risk’ for migration pressure]()
The ‘high-risk’ designation gives Belgium priority access to a new EU ‘toolbox’ that includes emergency funding, operational support from EU agencies such as Frontex and the EU Asylum Agency, and faster relocation of asylum seekers to other member states. Brussels must, however, submit an action plan that details how it will improve processing capacity, expand reception places and accelerate returns of rejected applicants.
For employers that rely on international talent—and for corporate mobility teams arranging short-term assignments—the main practical concern is potential processing delays. The Interior Ministry has already diverted staff from economic-migration desks to reinforce the asylum service, lengthening single-permit and Blue Card timelines in the Flemish and Brussels regions. Companies should build extra buffer time into start-date planning and consider fast-track channels, such as the EU ICT permit, where feasible.
Belgium’s new government, which took office in early October, supports the Commission’s migration pact but insists on stricter enforcement of Dublin rules before agreeing to mandatory relocation quotas. The forthcoming debate in the Belgian parliament over reception-capacity funding and border-control staffing will be key for mobility managers monitoring future policy shifts.
According to the report, Belgium registered more than 32,000 asylum applications between July 2024 and June 2025—an increase of 12 % year-on-year—while reception centres remained near capacity despite the recent opening of 2,000 additional beds. Authorities also continue to accommodate over 93,000 Ukrainians under the Temporary Protection Directive. Although irregular border-crossing detections into Belgium fell by 35 % over the same period, onward movements from France and the Netherlands keep reception occupancy rates elevated.
The ‘high-risk’ designation gives Belgium priority access to a new EU ‘toolbox’ that includes emergency funding, operational support from EU agencies such as Frontex and the EU Asylum Agency, and faster relocation of asylum seekers to other member states. Brussels must, however, submit an action plan that details how it will improve processing capacity, expand reception places and accelerate returns of rejected applicants.
For employers that rely on international talent—and for corporate mobility teams arranging short-term assignments—the main practical concern is potential processing delays. The Interior Ministry has already diverted staff from economic-migration desks to reinforce the asylum service, lengthening single-permit and Blue Card timelines in the Flemish and Brussels regions. Companies should build extra buffer time into start-date planning and consider fast-track channels, such as the EU ICT permit, where feasible.
Belgium’s new government, which took office in early October, supports the Commission’s migration pact but insists on stricter enforcement of Dublin rules before agreeing to mandatory relocation quotas. The forthcoming debate in the Belgian parliament over reception-capacity funding and border-control staffing will be key for mobility managers monitoring future policy shifts.
