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Belgium Job Seeker Permit After Graduation

Search year after higher studies (A card "job seeker")

In short

Belgium has no job seeker visa for people abroad, but non-EU graduates of Belgian higher education can extend their stay by up to 12 months to find work or set up a business. During this search year they have free access to the labour market.

checked 23 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
Up to 12 months
Validity
A card marked "job seeker" valid 12 months from issue (or from the Annex 15)
Processing time
Decision within 90 days of the receipt; meanwhile the municipality issues a 45-day certificate, renewable twice.
Work
Yes, unrestricted access to the labour market during the search year
Path to permanent residence
It is a bridge: find a job and switch to a single permit, or start a business with a professional card.
Where to apply
In Belgium at the municipality, at least 15 days before the student A card expires; graduates of other EU states who studied part of the course in Belgium apply at the Belgian post abroad within three months of graduation.

Who can apply

Third-country nationals who have obtained a degree from a Belgian higher education institution, and those who graduated in another EU state after studying part of the course in Belgium under mobility rules. You need a valid passport, proof of the degree, health insurance covering Belgium and adequate means of subsistence.

Application in Belgium

Apply at the municipality at least 15 days before your student A card expires. A late application may be declared inadmissible. If documents are missing, you have 15 days from the municipality's letter to complete the file. If no decision is taken before your card expires, you receive a 45-day certificate covering your stay, renewable twice.

  1. Collect your diploma or official proof of graduation before your student card expires.
  2. Apply at your municipality at least 15 days before the A card expires, with passport, degree, insurance and proof of means.
  3. Keep the receipt; if the card expires, collect the 45-day provisional certificate.
  4. Once granted, collect the A card marked "job seeker" and start applying for jobs or preparing your business.
  5. When you find a job, ask the employer to apply for a single permit promptly.

Rights and duties during the year

You may work without restriction, but you must actively look for a job that allows a single permit, or take the legal steps to become self-employed. From three months after issue, the Immigration Office may ask you to show within 15 days that you have a reasonable chance of being hired or starting a business; otherwise the permit can be ended. Employers are advised to apply for the single permit early.

Refusal

A refusal comes with an order to leave the territory (Annex 33bis). It can be challenged before the Council for Alien Law Litigation, as a rule within 30 days of notification.

Documents

Required documents

Travel

  • Valid passport and copy of the data page

Money

  • Proof of adequate means of subsistence

Study

  • Proof of the degree obtained from a Belgian higher education institution

Insurance

  • Health insurance covering risks in Belgium

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Study

  • Graduates from another EU state: proof of the mobility period spent in Belgium

Frequently asked questions

Does Belgium offer a job seeker visa for people abroad?

No such visa is listed by the Immigration Office. The search year is only for graduates of Belgian higher education, or EU graduates who studied part of the course in Belgium.

Can I work full time during the search year?

Yes. You have unrestricted access to the labour market, to earn a living while you look for a permanent job.

What if I apply after my student card has expired?

The Immigration Office may declare the application inadmissible. Apply at least 15 days before expiry.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for Belgium

Visits and short stays

  • Tourist visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period across the Schengen area
  • Family and friends visit visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period across the Schengen area
  • Transit visa Maximum stay: Transit only: the days needed to cross the Schengen area to the next destination
  • Medical treatment visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period across the Schengen area
  • Culture, sports and events visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period across the Schengen area

Business and self-employment

Study and training

  • Student visa Maximum stay: Residence for the length of studies, renewed yearly
  • Researcher visa Maximum stay: For the duration of the research project
  • Internship and trainee visa Maximum stay: Up to six months, renewable once, in the Flemish "trainee in or after training" category
  • Au pair visa Maximum stay: One year at most, including a single possible renewal

Work

  • Work visa Maximum stay: Tied to the employment contract; Flanders can grant up to three years at once for highly skilled workers
  • EU Blue Card Maximum stay: For the contract period; after 24 months of Blue Card employment a three-year card is issued
  • Intra-company transfer visa Maximum stay: For the duration of the transfer authorised by the region
  • Seasonal work visa Maximum stay: 150 days within any 365-day period

Family

Residence

Protection

  • Asylum and international protection Maximum stay: Right to stay during the procedure; recognised refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection receive residence permits

Belgium visa guide