Guide to temporary entry into Belgium under CETA

This guide is for a Canadian business person temporarily travelling to Belgium to do business. It provides general information about temporary entry and stay requirements for business people under the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and under Belgian law. This guide aims to facilitate the entry of Canadian business people into Belgium for the purposes of exploring, entering and expanding operations in the Belgian market. You will find relevant links and summaries of main steps for work permit and visa applications, including costs and lengths, for the categories of business people covered in CETA.

Text of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement – Chapter 10: Temporary entry and stay of natural persons for business purposes

CETA entered into force provisionally in 2017, which means that Belgium is bound by the Temporary Entry Chapter. However, there are still significant differences between CETA commitments and the national Belgian laws regulating temporary entry. As such, some of the paths for entry identified in this guide do not fully overlap with the categories of business people covered in CETA.  

For any questions regarding Belgium’s temporary entry commitments under CETA, please contact: enquiry-demande.TE@international.gc.ca.

Under CETA, a short-term business visitor is a Canadian traveling to Belgium for one of the following activities:  

• meetings and consultations
• research and design
• marketing research
• training seminars
• trade fairs and exhibitions
• sales (negotiations or taking orders, cannot deliver goods or services themselves)
• purchasing
• after-sales or after-lease service
• commercial transactions (management and supervisory or financial services personnel only)
• tourism/travel operations
• translation and interpretation

The detailed list of these activities can be found under Annex 10-D of CETA.

A short-term business visitor cannot:

• sell a good or a service to the general public
• receive payment from a source located in Belgium
• provide any other service to a consumer in Belgium that is not listed under activities of a business visitor

Under CETA a Canadian short-term business visitor can stay in Belgium for up to 90 days in a 180-day period.

Under CETA, an eligible short-term business visitor does not need a work permit, but may need a visa.

Under Belgium law, a Canadian short-term business visitor does not need a Schengen C visa to enter Belgium. You are entitled to stay within any country of the Schengen area for up to 90 days in a 180-day period.

Canadian companies can also send non-Canadian nationals locally hired in Canada for short-term business travel in Belgium. In this case, a Schengen C visa may be required, if the short-term business visitor is not a national of Canada or another a visa exempt country. They must file their application for Schengen C visas with the relevant Belgian Consulate/Embassy. The processing time is approximately 2 weeks.

Schengen area
Schengen calculator
Schengen C visa exempt countries

Under Belgian law, a short-term business visitor does not need a work permit so long as they are engaging in one of the following work permit exempt activities:

• attending meetings and discussions in closed circle (including strategic meetings for multinational organizations, evaluation meetings, or contract negotiations with clients) that are less than 20 consecutive days, up to a maximum of 60 total working days per calendar year
• attending or participating in a conference, seminar or exposition
• installing or assembling self-supplied goods for a maximum of 8 days (specialized technicians only)
• performing urgent repair or maintenance work for a maximum of 5 days per calendar month (specialized technicians only)
• exploring business opportunities for a maximum of 3 consecutive months, provided they hold a legitimation card as a sales representative
• purchasing goods on behalf of a company outside of Belgium, for a maximum of three months

No application process is required as these are work permit exempted activities.

To explore business opportunities or to purchase goods on behalf of a company, a Posted worker notification (Limosa) is required. For more information about the Posted worker notification, please refer to Filing for a Limosa.

More information on work permit exemptions, by region:

Brussels
Flanders
Wallonia

If you have encountered problems entering Belgium as a short-term business visitor, please contact enquiry-demande.TE@international.gc.ca.

Please note: The business visitors for investment purposes category is covered under CETA, but does not exist under Belgian law. If you have encountered problems entering Belgium as a business visitor for investment purposes, please contact enquiry-demande.TE@international.gc.ca.

Under CETA, a Canadian business visitor for investment purposes is a Canadian manager or specialist responsible for setting up an enterprise in Belgium.

A Canadian business visitor for investment purposes cannot:

• work directly with the general public in Belgium
• receive compensation from a source located within Belgium

Under CETA, Canadian business visitors for investment purposes can stay in Belgium for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.

Under CETA, Canadian business visitors for investment purposes do not need a work permit.

Under Belgium law, business visitors for investment purposes are exempt from needing a professional card only if they are self-employed business visitors seeking entry for less than 3 consecutive months to:

• visit, explore and develop professional contacts
• negotiate and conclude contracts
• participate in fairs and exhibitions to present products to sell
• participate in the Boards of Directors or general meetings of companies

No application process is required as these are professional card exempt activities.

Alternatively, business visitors for investment purposes preforming other activities could apply for a national work permit (for stays of less than 90 days) or a single permit (for stays of more than 90 days) as highly skilled workers or managerial staff.

Please note: The investors category is covered under CETA, but does not exist under Belgian law. There are no specific work permit or visa options for a Canadian investors seeking temporary entry into Belgium. If you have encountered problems entering Belgium as an investor, please contact enquiry-demande.TE@international.gc.ca.

Under CETA, an investor is a Canadian supervisor or executive, responsible for establishing, developing, or operating an investment that they or their employing enterprise have committed, or are in the process of committing, a substantial amount of capital to.

Under CETA, Canadian investors can stay in Belgium for up to 1 year, with possible extensions at the discretion of Belgium’s officials.

Under CETA, you may need a work permit and a visa as an investor.

This category does not exist under Belgian law. There are no specific work permit or visa options for a Canadian investor.

However, a Canadian investor could be eligible for a professional card and a long stay visa/Belgian residence permit, so long as you can prove you will be engaged in substantial activities in Belgium towards the establishment, development or operation of the investment.

Please note: the contractual services supplier category is covered in CETA but does not exist under Belgian law. There are no specific work permit or visa options for a Canadian contractual services supplier seeking temporary entry into Belgium.

Under CETA, a contractual services supplier is a Canadian service supplier employed by an enterprise in Canada with a contract to provide a service to a consumer in Belgium in an eligible service sector. A list of eligible services sectors under CETA is found under CETA Annex 10-E, number 9.

A Canadian contractual service supplier must also:

• have provided services as an employee of the contracted Canadian enterprise for at least one year before the date of their application for entry into Belgium
• have a university degree or an equivalent qualification
• have at least 3 years of professional experience since the age of 18 in the sector of the contracted activity
• have any professional qualifications required to practice the activity according to the laws or requirements in Belgium

For engineering technologists seeking entry as a contractual service supplier, a 3-year post-secondary degree from an officially recognised institution in engineering technology is considered equivalent to a university degree.

For scientific technologists seeking entry as a contractual service supplier, a 3-year post-secondary degree from an officially recognised institution in the disciplines of agriculture, architecture, biology, chemistry, physics, forestry, geology, geophysics, mining and energy is considered equivalent to a university degree.

A Canadian contractual service supplier cannot get paid for their services during their stay in Belgium other than what is paid to them by their Canadian employers.

The Canadian enterprise that employs a Canadian contractual service supplier cannot have any establishment in Belgium.

Fulfillment of the contract must require the temporary presence of the Canadian contractual service supplier in Belgium.

Under CETA, a Canadian contractual services supplier can stay in Belgium for up to 12 consecutive months, or for the duration of the contract, whichever is less.

Under CETA, a contractual service supplier may need a work permit and a visa, and may be subject to economic needs testing.

Under Belgian law, contractual service suppliers could apply for a work permit (for stay less than 90 days) or a single permit (for stay for more than 90 days) as a highly skilled worker, managerial staff member, or specialised technician.

Alternatively, contractual service suppliers also be eligible for the intra-corporate transferee's permit.

Under Belgian law, to be eligible for a work/single permit as a highly skilled worker, you must:

• have (at least) a Bachelor's degree from a higher education program of at least three years
• earn a yearly gross salary of at least 42.696 EUR (Flanders) or 42.869 EUR (Brussels and Wallonia)

Under Belgian law, to be eligible for a work/single permit as a managerial staff member, you must:

• be responsible for the day-to-day management of the company
• be authorized to represent the company and enter into legal agreements on the company’s behalf
• earn a yearly gross salary of at least 68.314 EUR (Flanders) or 71.521 EUR (Brussels and Wallonia)

Under Belgian law, to be eligible for a work/single permit as a specialised technician, you must:

• install, and/or repair machinery or equipment produced, supplied or designed by your Canadian employer on a client site for less than 6 months
• remain linked to your employment contract with your Canadian employer

To apply for a work permit (for a stay of less than 90 days), file an application with the Regional employment authority.

To apply for a single permit (for stay for more than 90 days) follow the steps below:

Step 1: Submit your single permit application with the regional employment authority.

Step 2: Apply for your long-term visa D with the relevant Belgian Consulate/Embassy in Canada

Step 3: Collect your residence permit and complete your registration with the local town hall.

There is no cost to apply for a work permit. A single permit costs 538 EUR and the long stay visa costs 180 EUR.

More information about the application process and eligibility conditions for work and single permits, by region:

Brussels
Flanders
Wallonia

Please note: the independent professionals category is covered in CETA but does not exist under Belgian law. There are no specific work permit or visa options for a Canadian independent professionals seeking temporary entry into Belgium. If you have encountered problems entering Belgium as an independent professional, please contact enquiry-demande.TE@international.gc.ca.

Under CETA, an independent professional is a self-employed Canadian service supplier with a contract to supply a service to a consumer in Belgium in an eligible sector. A list of eligible services sectors under CETA is found under CETA Annex 10-E, number 9.

A Canadian independent professional must also have:

• at least 6 years of professional experience in the sector of the contracted activity at the date of application of entry
• a university degree or equivalent qualification
• any professional qualifications required to practice the activity, according to the laws or requirements in Belgium

For engineering technologists seeking entry as an independent professional, a 3-year post-secondary degree from an officially recognised institution in engineering technology is considered equivalent to a university degree.

For scientific technologists seeking entry as an independent professional, a 3-year post-secondary degree from an officially recognised institution in the disciplines of agriculture, architecture, biology, chemistry, physics, forestry, geology, geophysics, mining, and energy is considered equivalent to a university degree.

Other requirements:

• a Canadian independent professional must not have established an enterprise in Belgium
• fulfillment of the contract must require the temporary presence of the independent professional in Belgium

Under CETA, a Canadian independent professional can stay in Belgium for up to 12 consecutive months, or for the duration of the contract, whichever is less.

Under CETA, a Canadian independent professional may need a work permit and a visa, and may be subject to economic needs testing.

The independent professional category does not exist under Belgian law. There are no specific work permit or visa options for a Canadian independent professional.

However, an independent professional could apply for a professional card to provide a service in Belgium. If you need to stay longer than 90 days in a 6-month period, you will also need to apply for a long stay visa/Belgian residence permit based on your professional card.

Step 1: Apply for a professional card at the competent Belgian diplomatic post in Canada.

Step 2: If successful, the Belgian diplomatic post will issue your visa D (long stay visa).

Step 3: Upon arrival in Belgium, collect your professional card at the indicated enterprise counter.

Step 4: Collect your residence permit and complete your registration with the local town hall.

The base cost of the professional card application is 140 EUR, with an additional 90 EUR fee per year of validity for the card. The long stay visa application cost is 180 EUR.

More information on professional cards, by region:

Brussels
Flanders
Wallonia

Under CETA, Canadian intra-corporate transferees are senior personnel, specialists, or graduate trainees at a Canadian enterprise who are being temporarily transferred to a subsidiary, branch, or head company of the Canadian enterprise in Belgium.

Senior personnel are Canadian business people in a senior position within an enterprise who:

• primarily direct the management of the enterprise or a department or sub-division of the enterprise
• make a wide range of decisions, including recruitment, promotions and dismissals
• receive only general supervision or direction principally from higher-level executives, the board of directors, or stockholders of the business or their equivalent or supervise and control the work of other supervisory, professional or managerial employees and exercise discretionary authority over day-to-day operations

Specialists are Canadian business people who have:

• uncommon knowledge of the enterprise's products or services and its application in international markets, or
• an advanced level of expertise or knowledge of the enterprise's processes and procedures such as its production, research equipment, techniques, or management

In assessing such expertise or knowledge, Belgium’s officials will consider abilities that are unusual and different from those generally found in a particular industry and that cannot be easily transferred to another business person in the short-term. These abilities would have been obtained through specific academic qualifications or extensive experience with the enterprise.

Graduate trainees are Canadian business people who:

• have a university degree
• are being temporarily transferred to an enterprise in Belgium for career development purposes, or to obtain training in business techniques or methods

Under CETA, Canadian senior personnel and specialists can stay in Belgium for whichever is shorter, 3 years or the length of the contract, with a possible extension of up to 18 months at the discretion of Belgium’s officials.

Canadian graduate trainees can stay in Belgium for whichever is shorter, 1 year or the length of the contract.

Under CETA, a Canadian intra-corporate transferee may need a work permit and a visa.

Under Belgian law, a Canadian intra-corporate transferee should apply for an EU Intra-Corporate Transferees permit. The main advantage of this permit is that it allows its holder to work in other EU countries (for a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period per country) based on an ICT notification, without obtaining a work permit. This permit also allows the intra-corporate transferee to work at a client site.

This permit can be valid for up to 3 years (for managers and specialists) and 1 year (for graduate trainees).

Intra-corporate transferee managers and specialists could also apply for a national work permit (for stay less than 90 days) or a single permit (for stay for more than 90 days) for highly skilled workers or managerial staff.

At the date of writing, the EU intra-corporate transferee permit is not yet fully implemented in Belgium yet. However, the application process has opened in Brussels and Flanders. Wallonia will not accept any applicants at this point. Applicants in Brussels and Flanders will be granted a single permit. They will be able to change it in country when EU ICT permits become available.

The process for obtaining this permit consists of the following 3 main steps:

Step 1: Apply for the permit with the regional employment authority

Step 2: Upon approval of your application, apply for your long stay visa D with the relevant Belgian Consulate/Embassy in Canada.

Step 3: Upon arrival in Belgium, collect your residence permit and complete your registration at the local town hall.

The single permit will cost 358 EUR. In addition, the long stay visa cost is 180 EUR.

For more information about the ICT permit, by region:

Brussels
Flanders

Entry into Belgium for Canadian business people not belonging to any of the categories covered under the CETA is subject to Belgium’s acts and regulations governing entry and stay.

To explore other paths for entry into Belgium, please consult the portals for foreign workers, by region:

Brussels
Flanders
Wallonia

Disclaimer: The information contained herein is current as of July 2023 (national immigration legislations may change, sometimes at short notice). It is offered for informational purposes only and does not constitute general legal advice. The information: (i) must be regarded as a practical guide for general information and not a process guide for determining the specific immigration requirements of the countries covered, (ii) should not be a substitute for a more in-depth analysis of applicable facts and circumstances (including, without limitation, criminal or health-related circumstances) conducted by competent professionals, (iii) indicated processing times and fees herein are approximate, are subject to the specific case circumstances, and change. The information herein does not guarantee the outcome or approval of any particular immigration application.