Non EU trainees having an opportunity to make a traineeship in Belgium must follow certain rules. A distinction should be made between trainees employed for a period longer than 90 days or shorter and trainees employed by a Belgian company and those employed by a European Institution.
Non EU trainees – traineeship longer than 90 days
A. Non EU trainees wishing to do a traineeship for a Belgian employer for more than 90 days must be holder of a single permit.
Single Permit is granted for a specific job and for one employer. The employer must submit the single permit application with the competent authorities. Be aware that in case of successive jobs without any interruption, the previous periods are taken into account to calculate the 90 days.
Conditions:
A specific procedure exists for such trainees who belong to the so-called special categories. To obtain the single permit as a trainee you should:
Be aged between 18 and 30;
Following a course of no more than one year in addition to prior training and leading to a diploma or certificate in line with the job description of the traineeship;
Receiving the guaranteed average monthly minimum income (this amount is stated yearly by the authorities).
B. Non EU trainees that will be employed for more than 90 days by a Belgian government department or by an international public-law organization established in Belgium, and whom status is governed by a current treaty or in the frame of a program approved by this kind of organization, can be exempted from single permit, but still need to go through the exemption procedure.
Conditions: having a traineeship agreement with an organization as described above; for more than 90 days.
B. Non EU trainees that will be employed for less than 90 days by a Belgian government department or by an international public-law organization established in Belgium, and whom status is governed by a current treaty or in the frame of a program approved by this kind of organization, do not need to apply for a single or work permit. They will need to apply directly for a VISA at the Belgian consulate of their country of residency, based on their traineeships agreement with the institution or organization.
Conditions: having a traineeship agreement with an organization as described above, for less than 90 days.
