Work & Travel in Belgium With a Working Holiday Visa 

Belgium Working Holiday visa allows foreign nationals to travel to Belgium on a holiday. The visa is called a working holiday visa because these individuals can work while being on holiday. However, the visa is available to citizens of specific countries. For example, New Zealand. Australia, and Canada. Moreover, you need finances to support yourself for the duration of your stay. Keep reading to learn more about the Belgium working holiday visa: eligible countries, conditions, requirements, fees, financial requirements, and the application process.

What is the Working Holiday Program in Belgium?

The Belgium Working Holiday Visa is a programme introduced to strengthen collaboration and develop mutual understanding between governments. It enables the young citizens to appreciate the culture and lifestyle of another country.  Those with a working holiday visa can go on a holiday in Belgium, and simultaneously work during their stay. Moreover, you can also study for up to 3 months on this visa. This visa is given up to a year and is only available to citizens of a certain age group. 

Eligible Countries 

The Belgium working holiday visa is available to citizens of specific countries. Currently, Belgium has agreements with the following countries. You can apply for a Belgian working holiday visa if you are a national of any of the countries listed.

• Australia
• Canada
• Taiwan 
• New Zealand 
• the Republic of Korea 

Conditions for a Belgium Working Holiday Visa 

To apply for a working holiday visa you must meet the eligibility criteria set by the Belgium government. Below we have provided the general conditions for this visa (applicable to nationals from all countries with an agreement with Belgium).

• You must be between the ages of 18 and 30
• You must have a valid passport
• Moreover, you must have a return ticket or must have enough funds to purchase a ticket back to your home country
• You also need to have sufficient funds to cover your expenses for the duration of your stay 
• You need to have overseas health insurance 
• A medical certificate must also be submitted. The certificate must mention that you do not have any diseases that will endanger public health.
• Highlight your reason for staying as a Holiday 

Requirements for a Belgium Working Holiday Visa 

The documentation requirements have to be met to obtain a working holiday visa. The general requirements are as follows. Note: apart from these documents you need to prove any other document requested by the visa officer. 

• You must have a passport that is issued within the last 10 years. The passport must have 2 blank pages and must be valid for more than a year.
• Fill in the visa application form, sign, and date the same. (the visa application form is available at the embassy or consulate. You can also get the form from the VFS office).
• Additionally, two photographs have to be submitted, The photos must not be taken earlier than 6 months from the date of submission.
• You must pay the visa application fee, and submit a medical certificate
• You need to prove that you do not have a criminal record. Therefore, a non-criminal record certificate is also needed 
• Apart from this, demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to cover your expenses like accommodation, food, transport, etc.
• You need overseas medical insurance that is applicable in all the Schengen countries for the duration of your stay. The insurance must at least be of EUR 30,000.
• Submit a proof of itinerary (itinerary for a return ticket)/ Otherwise, you can submit proof that you have sufficient funds to purchase a return ticket and have a one-way ticket to Belgium.

To view the documentation requirements for Australia and New Zealand, download this PDF

Minimum Bank Balance Required 

The minimum bank balance required for a Belgium working holiday is provided below. You need this amount for the first part of your stay or your stay duration. For example, a credit card that is valid for 1 year, sufficient cash for 1 year, etc.

Visa	Minimum Bank Balance
Belgium Working Holiday Visa	EUR 2500

Minimum Amount Required for Overseas Health Insurance 

The minimum amount needed for Overseas medical insurance coverage is provided below. The insurance cover must be valid in all the Schengen countries.

Visa	Minimum Health Insurance Amount
Belgium Working Holiday Visa	EUR 30,000

Learn about the cost of Living in Belgium 

How to Apply for a Belgium Working Holiday Visa?

The Belgium working holiday visa is a long-stay visa (D visa). This visa is for staying in the country for more than 90 days. Therefore, you need to apply for a D visa for working holiday purposes. You can visit the Belgium diplomatic/consulate (website) in the country you reside for the application process.

• Ensure that you meet the visa application conditions and documentation requirements
• Next, visit the website of (VisaOnWeb) to fill out an online application. 
• You can submit the visa application form by email or in person at the consulate or embassy of Belgium in your home country. The list of embassies is provided in the FPS Foreign Affairs website.
• If you want to submit the form by email, you can disregard the option to seek a visa appointment. You can send in your application by the registered email address. You can 
• On the contrary, if you want to visit in person, you can get a visa appointment. 
• For the visa application process submit the necessary documents. 
• Applicants who are submitting the visa application in person need to submit these documents in person.
• Lastly, pay the visa application fee. 
• At this stage, you can consider your visa application to be complete 
• The visa application centre will notify you regarding the outcome of your application

To learn more about getting a Belgian working holiday visa, watch this video:

Work Rights & Belgium Working Holiday Visa 

The Belgium working holiday visa comes with certain work rights and obligations. These are provided below:

• Holiday should be your main goal for applying for this visa. However, you can seek work to supplement your income.
• The visa  restrictions regarding the duration of your stay (up to 1 year) must be respected. The restrictions are valid for studying in Belgium, work, or to undertake a training course.
• You do not need a work permit to take up employment in Belgium.
• However, the working conditions, salary, hygiene, and safety rules regarding work in Belgium are applicable. 
• You and your employer must meet the applicable social security provisions.

Is Belgium Working Hours 4 Days a Week?

As per the Labour Deal of 2022, Belgium workers need to work only for 4 days per week, However, you must seek permission from your employer to work for only 4 days a week. Moreover, you are required to dedicate the same amount of hours required for a 5-hour work week.

Everything You Need to Know About Belgium Work Visa 

Can I Get a Residence Permit with a Belgium Working Holiday Visa?

The Belgium working holiday visa is a long-stay visa or a D visa. You can travel to Belgium on a working holiday visa and then apply for a residence permit. You must present yourself to the municipal administration within 8 days of your arrival. There you can apply for a residence permit. The Belgium residence permit is valid for up to 5 years. 

To maintain the population records, you might be asked to submit the following-

• Birth certificate
• A legalised certificate to prove that you are unmarried.

After staying in Belgium for 5 years you can apply for citizenship.

Get to know the accommodation costs in Belgium

FAQs

We hope you now understand all about the Belgium Working Holiday visa. Want to apply for a Visa for your study abroad journey? Drop us a comment in the section below, or you can connect with a visa expert at Leverage Edu, and we will guide you on your dream journey!

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