Belgium scrambles to avert long queues as EU Entry/Exit System load rises in January
Flanders slashes shortage-occupation list, tightening work-permit fast track from 1 January
Holiday ripple effect: 740 flight delays and 43 cancellations hit Brussels and four other European hubs
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Belgium Braces for Entry/Exit System Queues as ACI Europe Demands Fixes
ACI Europe has warned that the EU’s new Entry/Exit System is already causing severe bottlenecks and could worsen when biometric-registration thresholds rise in January. Brussels Airport is coping better than peers but still faces kiosk outages and staffing pressures. Companies should add buffer time to itineraries and prepare travellers for potential manual checks.
Flanders Shrinks Shortage-Occupation List, Adding Extra Hurdles for Non-EU Recruiters
From 1 January 2026 Flanders will remove a swathe of everyday jobs from its fast-track work-permit scheme, forcing employers to run a nine-week labour-market test before sponsoring non-EU staff. High-skill niche trades are added, but low-skill roles lose the preferential route altogether. Firms must act quickly to renew existing permits and adjust project timelines.