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Le CampusInternational

Information: indicative content. Only institutions and the competent authorities decide. Le Campus International is an independent service.

After your studies: residence & regularisation

With your degree in hand, several routes exist to stay legally in Belgium. In every case, only the Immigration Office and the competent regional authorities decide.

Key figures

12 months

job-search year after graduation (non-renewable)

15 days

at the latest before your permit expires to apply

3 regions

different single-permit rules in Wallonia, Brussels and Flanders

1The job-search year

  • For holders of a Belgian bachelor's or master's degree, with a student residence permit.
  • Apply at your municipality at the latest 15 days before your student permit expires.
  • Documents: passport, diploma, health insurance, proof of means of subsistence.
  • If granted: 12-month residence card, non-renewable, with free access to salaried work.
  • You must actively look for a job or set up a business: the Immigration Office may check.

2The single permit (salaried work)

  • It is both a residence and a work authorisation, applied for with your employer.
  • Rules are regional: Wallonia, Brussels and Flanders each have their own conditions (minimum salary, type of job…).
  • Tip: start the application well before your permit ends, so you never fall into irregular stay.
  • For self-employment, a professional card is required (also regional rules).

3Shortage occupations

  • Each region publishes its list of shortage occupations: Forem in Wallonia, Actiris in Brussels, VDAB in Flanders.
  • For these jobs, employers often do not have to prove they found no candidate in Belgium, which makes the single permit easier.
  • Lists change regularly: always check the current version.

4Regularisation (9bis) and asylum

  • "9bis" is an application for residence on humanitarian grounds, filed in Belgium by invoking "exceptional circumstances". The Immigration Office decides case by case, with wide discretion and no guaranteed criteria.
  • An application for international protection (asylum) only concerns people who fear persecution or serious harm in their country. It is not a way to extend a study stay.
  • For these procedures, get help from a specialised legal service or a lawyer.