Belgium’s three main union confederations have called a 24-hour general strike for Tuesday, 12 May 2026, in protest against pension reforms and cost-of-living pressures. The action will hit public transport, waste collection and most public-sector services. Charleroi Airport has already confirmed it will close entirely, while Brussels Airport warns of “significant disruption” to security screening and ground handling.
![Nation-wide strike planned for 12 May to halt transport across Belgium]()
Amid this uncertainty, VisaHQ can take at least one worry off companies’ plates by fast-tracking Belgian visas, residence permits and other consular paperwork for assignees and business travelers. Its online platform and Brussels-based specialists streamline applications and document legalization, allowing mobility teams to focus on contingency planning instead of red tape. Details are available at https://www.visahq.com/belgium/
Rail operator SNCB expects a ‘very limited’ timetable, and De Lijn and TEC bus services will operate only skeleton routes. Cargo terminals at Antwerp and Zeebrugge ports are bracing for delays as dock workers join the walk-out. For mobility managers, the timing is awkward: the action comes two days before a long Ascension Day weekend, a peak period for assignee travel. Many companies are now activating contingency plans—rerouting flights via Amsterdam or Paris, shifting meetings on-line and advising employees to work remotely. Travel-risk consultants recommend that inbound assignees landing on 11 May secure hotel rooms near the airport in case onward rail links collapse. Unions have not ruled out extending the strike if the government tables its pension bill unchanged on 13 May. Employers’ federation VBO-FEB is urging both sides to enter mediation, warning that a prolonged stoppage could cost up to €150 million per day in lost productivity. Global businesses should monitor airline rebooking policies: several carriers are allowing free date changes for travel between 11 and 13 May.
Amid this uncertainty, VisaHQ can take at least one worry off companies’ plates by fast-tracking Belgian visas, residence permits and other consular paperwork for assignees and business travelers. Its online platform and Brussels-based specialists streamline applications and document legalization, allowing mobility teams to focus on contingency planning instead of red tape. Details are available at https://www.visahq.com/belgium/
Rail operator SNCB expects a ‘very limited’ timetable, and De Lijn and TEC bus services will operate only skeleton routes. Cargo terminals at Antwerp and Zeebrugge ports are bracing for delays as dock workers join the walk-out. For mobility managers, the timing is awkward: the action comes two days before a long Ascension Day weekend, a peak period for assignee travel. Many companies are now activating contingency plans—rerouting flights via Amsterdam or Paris, shifting meetings on-line and advising employees to work remotely. Travel-risk consultants recommend that inbound assignees landing on 11 May secure hotel rooms near the airport in case onward rail links collapse. Unions have not ruled out extending the strike if the government tables its pension bill unchanged on 13 May. Employers’ federation VBO-FEB is urging both sides to enter mediation, warning that a prolonged stoppage could cost up to €150 million per day in lost productivity. Global businesses should monitor airline rebooking policies: several carriers are allowing free date changes for travel between 11 and 13 May.
