Belgium’s postal operator Bpost confirmed on 22 April that industrial action—now in its fourth week—continues to paralyse mail delivery in the Brussels-Capital Region and much of Wallonia. With distribution centres in Liège, Charleroi and parts of the capital still blockaded, fewer than half of all letters and parcels are reaching their destination; in Brussels city no deliveries took place on Wednesday. For global-mobility teams the timing could hardly be worse. Municipal offices rely on Bpost’s secure network to dispatch newly printed residence permits and Annex-46 approval letters to foreign workers. HR advisers report that cards issued as early as 8 April are stuck in buffer depots, leaving new hires unable to register locally, open bank accounts or sign leases. While Flanders is largely spared—Bpost says 91 % of deliveries there are operational—companies relocating staff to Brussels and Wallonia are advising assignees to carry digital approval notices when travelling in and out of the Schengen Area.
![Ongoing Bpost Strike Delays Residence Cards and Permit Letters in Brussels & Wallonia]()
At this juncture, global mobility managers may also find value in partnering with VisaHQ, whose Brussels-based specialists (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) can coordinate courier pick-ups, track delayed residence permits and, when necessary, secure alternative entry documentation to keep assignments moving despite the backlog.
Some communes have started issuing provisional certificates, but these are not always recognised by airlines. Management and unions resumed talks this week after workers rejected a draft restructuring deal. Both sides hope to reach final agreement before the 1 May public holiday, traditionally one of Belgium’s busiest moving weekends. Even if a settlement is reached, Bpost warns it will take “at least three weeks” to clear the mountain of undelivered mail. Employers should build extra lead-time into onboarding schedules and consider courier pick-up of critical documents where possible. Those planning 1 May start dates may need to defer until employees have physical cards in hand.
At this juncture, global mobility managers may also find value in partnering with VisaHQ, whose Brussels-based specialists (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) can coordinate courier pick-ups, track delayed residence permits and, when necessary, secure alternative entry documentation to keep assignments moving despite the backlog.
Some communes have started issuing provisional certificates, but these are not always recognised by airlines. Management and unions resumed talks this week after workers rejected a draft restructuring deal. Both sides hope to reach final agreement before the 1 May public holiday, traditionally one of Belgium’s busiest moving weekends. Even if a settlement is reached, Bpost warns it will take “at least three weeks” to clear the mountain of undelivered mail. Employers should build extra lead-time into onboarding schedules and consider courier pick-up of critical documents where possible. Those planning 1 May start dates may need to defer until employees have physical cards in hand.
