The Flemish Region ushered Belgium’s economic-migration system into a new era on 4 January 2026 by putting a completely redesigned online “Single-Permit” portal into production. The launch coincides with sweeping legislative amendments that took effect on New Year’s Day and represents the most ambitious modernisation of Belgian immigration since the 2014 devolution of work-authorisation powers to the regions.
Under the new set-up, HR teams can submit fixed-term permits, intra-EU ICT assignments and—crucially—unlimited-duration Single Permits through one dashboard instead of a patchwork of paper forms and e-mail drop-boxes. The web interface plugs directly into the national social-security database and accepts electronic identity (eID) signatures, eliminating duplicate data entry and expensive couriers. Regional officials say the system has been load-tested for 20,000 concurrent users, a leap from the previous 3,000-user ceiling that regularly produced time-out errors during seasonal filing spikes.
If navigating these changes feels daunting, VisaHQ can shoulder the complexity. Their Belgium specialists integrate seamlessly with the new Flemish portal, validate salary thresholds, and upload eID-signed documents on behalf of employers and assignees—while providing real-time status alerts. Discover how they can streamline your Single-Permit workflow at https://www.visahq.com/belgium/.
![Flanders Switches On Fully-Digital ‘Single-Permit’ Portal, Completing 2026 Migration Reform]()
The reform also harmonises Flemish practice with Brussels, Wallonia and the German-speaking Community, ending the long-criticised reality that employers had to master three different filing systems inside one country. At the same time, eligibility thresholds have been tightened for several medium-skilled occupations: employers must now prove an annual gross salary of €43,396 (up 4 %) or demonstrate that the role appears on the Flemish shortage-occupation list. Those changes are designed to steer recruitment towards higher-added-value roles while shielding the domestic labour market in lower-wage sectors.
For global-mobility managers the practical implications are immediate. Because the portal was offline on 1 January, a two-day backlog has formed; officials advise clearing browser cookies and using fresh eID certificates to avoid “black-screen” login errors during the first week. Processing-time targets remain 60 days, but authorities concede that learning-curve delays are likely this month, so companies with March start-dates should file immediately. Multinationals with large Belgian footprints are already scheduling training webinars and auditing power-of-attorney mandates—still the main cause of technical rejections.
In the longer term, the ability to file indefinite-duration permits online is a game-changer for assignees who qualify after five years of residence. It eliminates mid-career paper renewals and should reduce administrative costs for employers. Observers expect Brussels and Wallonia to migrate to the same back-end architecture within 18 months, finally giving Belgium a unified, end-to-end digital immigration gateway that rivals the Netherlands and Ireland for user experience.
Under the new set-up, HR teams can submit fixed-term permits, intra-EU ICT assignments and—crucially—unlimited-duration Single Permits through one dashboard instead of a patchwork of paper forms and e-mail drop-boxes. The web interface plugs directly into the national social-security database and accepts electronic identity (eID) signatures, eliminating duplicate data entry and expensive couriers. Regional officials say the system has been load-tested for 20,000 concurrent users, a leap from the previous 3,000-user ceiling that regularly produced time-out errors during seasonal filing spikes.
If navigating these changes feels daunting, VisaHQ can shoulder the complexity. Their Belgium specialists integrate seamlessly with the new Flemish portal, validate salary thresholds, and upload eID-signed documents on behalf of employers and assignees—while providing real-time status alerts. Discover how they can streamline your Single-Permit workflow at https://www.visahq.com/belgium/.
The reform also harmonises Flemish practice with Brussels, Wallonia and the German-speaking Community, ending the long-criticised reality that employers had to master three different filing systems inside one country. At the same time, eligibility thresholds have been tightened for several medium-skilled occupations: employers must now prove an annual gross salary of €43,396 (up 4 %) or demonstrate that the role appears on the Flemish shortage-occupation list. Those changes are designed to steer recruitment towards higher-added-value roles while shielding the domestic labour market in lower-wage sectors.
For global-mobility managers the practical implications are immediate. Because the portal was offline on 1 January, a two-day backlog has formed; officials advise clearing browser cookies and using fresh eID certificates to avoid “black-screen” login errors during the first week. Processing-time targets remain 60 days, but authorities concede that learning-curve delays are likely this month, so companies with March start-dates should file immediately. Multinationals with large Belgian footprints are already scheduling training webinars and auditing power-of-attorney mandates—still the main cause of technical rejections.
In the longer term, the ability to file indefinite-duration permits online is a game-changer for assignees who qualify after five years of residence. It eliminates mid-career paper renewals and should reduce administrative costs for employers. Observers expect Brussels and Wallonia to migrate to the same back-end architecture within 18 months, finally giving Belgium a unified, end-to-end digital immigration gateway that rivals the Netherlands and Ireland for user experience.
