Four years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Belgium has granted temporary protection to 101,536 people who fled the conflict, according to data released on 18 February 2026 by the Immigration Office. The figure—roughly 0.9 percent of Belgium’s population—highlights the scale of the country’s humanitarian response but also the mounting strain on housing and integration services.
The EU-wide Temporary Protection Directive, activated ten days after the invasion, gives Ukrainians a fast-track right to live and work in any member state until at least 4 March 2027. In Belgium, beneficiaries receive an A-card valid for two years, access to the labour market, basic social support and enrolment in public schools. Federal Agency Fedasil reports that 12 percent of last year’s 8,756 new arrivals needed state-arranged accommodation.
For Ukrainians and the Belgian companies supporting them, VisaHQ can streamline the paperwork that still surrounds residence documentation and any future visa needs. Their Belgium portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) offers step-by-step guidance, appointment scheduling and document checking, easing the administrative load for both newcomers and HR teams.
![Belgium Passes 100,000 Mark for Ukrainians Under EU Temporary-Protection Scheme]()
That safety net is fraying. Flanders will stop funding emergency municipal shelters from 31 March 2026, shifting costs to local councils or pushing refugees into a tight private rental market. NGOs warn of a looming “housing cliff” just as winter utility subsidies end. Already, 22,594 Ukrainians have been removed from the national register—mainly those who returned home or left for other countries—raising questions about onward movement and data reliability.
For employers, the directive continues to offer a simplified hiring route: no work permit is required, and recognition of Ukrainian qualifications has been accelerated in sectors such as healthcare and IT. Nevertheless, mobility teams must track the 2027 expiry and monitor regional policy shifts that could affect where assignees’ dependants may live or study.
The Belgian government is lobbying the European Commission for co-funding to extend language and job-matching programmes, arguing that stable employment is the best path to self-sufficiency. If approved, new subsidies could cover wage-cost training for companies willing to hire Ukrainians in shortage occupations—an opportunity for businesses grappling with persistent skills gaps.
The EU-wide Temporary Protection Directive, activated ten days after the invasion, gives Ukrainians a fast-track right to live and work in any member state until at least 4 March 2027. In Belgium, beneficiaries receive an A-card valid for two years, access to the labour market, basic social support and enrolment in public schools. Federal Agency Fedasil reports that 12 percent of last year’s 8,756 new arrivals needed state-arranged accommodation.
For Ukrainians and the Belgian companies supporting them, VisaHQ can streamline the paperwork that still surrounds residence documentation and any future visa needs. Their Belgium portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) offers step-by-step guidance, appointment scheduling and document checking, easing the administrative load for both newcomers and HR teams.
That safety net is fraying. Flanders will stop funding emergency municipal shelters from 31 March 2026, shifting costs to local councils or pushing refugees into a tight private rental market. NGOs warn of a looming “housing cliff” just as winter utility subsidies end. Already, 22,594 Ukrainians have been removed from the national register—mainly those who returned home or left for other countries—raising questions about onward movement and data reliability.
For employers, the directive continues to offer a simplified hiring route: no work permit is required, and recognition of Ukrainian qualifications has been accelerated in sectors such as healthcare and IT. Nevertheless, mobility teams must track the 2027 expiry and monitor regional policy shifts that could affect where assignees’ dependants may live or study.
The Belgian government is lobbying the European Commission for co-funding to extend language and job-matching programmes, arguing that stable employment is the best path to self-sufficiency. If approved, new subsidies could cover wage-cost training for companies willing to hire Ukrainians in shortage occupations—an opportunity for businesses grappling with persistent skills gaps.
