Workforce Migration Report 2026: Belgium

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Brussels at night, the town hall and the guild houses of the Grand Place
Workforce Migration Report 2026
Belgium
7,392
First residence permits for work issued in 2025

Contents

In brief

Belgium issued 7,392 first residence permits for work to citizens of countries outside the EU in 2025, 10.8 percent fewer than in 2024 and 14.4 percent fewer than at the 2023 peak of 8,631. It issues 1.1 per 1,000 residents aged 20 to 64, against 2.0 in the Netherlands and 4.9 across the EU. India leads with 902 permits, and the seven sourcing centres of Werklist together received 1,282, 17.3 percent. The rules are tighter in Flanders since 1 January 2026, so the direction for 2026 and 2027 is falling: 7,390 in 2026 is an upper reading, the count of 2025 held, with a range down to 4,570. Held flat, a stated assumption, the count stays at 7,390 a year in 2031 and 2036.

Observed

First residence permits for work issued in 2025, down 10.8 percent on 2024

7,392
Our estimate

Permits in 2026: at most 7,390, an upper reading, with a range down to 4,570

Falling
A stated assumption

Permits a year in 2031, held flat; the direction is flat

7,390
Projection of the source

More people aged 20 to 64 in 2041 than in 2026, on Eurostat's 2025 projection

151,000

11.96 million people, with output per head above the EU's

Belgium has 11,955,308 people, 718,034 more than in 2015. Since 2022 deaths have outnumbered births every year, so arrivals from abroad make all of the growth. Output per head is 129 percent of the EU average, 114 percent counting prices, and a smaller share of people aged 20 to 64 is in work than across the EU. Eurostat projects 2.2 percent more people of working age by 2041.

The Grote Markt, Antwerp

People living in Belgium on 1 January 2026

11,955,308

6.4 percent more than in 2015, and 2.6 percent of the EU's 452.0 million. People aged 65 and over were 20.2 percent of the population in 2025.

GDP in 2025, billion euro at current prices

642.0

3.4 percent of the EU economy.

GDP per head in 2025

53,930euro

129 percent of the EU average of 41,700 euro in 2025. Counting higher prices at home, 114 percent, down from 119 percent in 2015.

Real growth in 2025

1.0%

Against 1.4 percent across the EU. Over 2021 to 2025 the economy grew 14.7 percent in all, the EU grew 13.7 percent (our estimate from the yearly rates).

People aged 20 to 64 in work, 2025

72.8%

Against 76.1 percent across the EU.

The EU and the single permit

1 January 1958Belgium is a founding member of the European Economic Community, now the European Union.
1 January 2019A single permit for residence and work replaces the work permit.

Sources: Eurostat, demo_gind (population, updated 21 July 2026), nama_10_gdp and nama_10_pc (GDP, updated 21 September 2026), tec00114 (price adjusted GDP per head), tec00115 (growth), lfsi_emp_a (employment), demo_pjanbroad (age). All retrieved 27 September 2026. Figures for 2025 GDP, GDP per head and growth are provisional. Key dates: European Union, Belgium country profile; FPS Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue, foreign workers; retrieved 28 September 2026.

Deaths now outnumber births; the growth is net migration

Since 2022 deaths outnumber births, and net migration has added 69,343 to 127,502 a year

In 2025, 112,984 people died and 109,095 were born. Net migration added 75,702, so the population grew by 71,813.

Births minus deathsNet migration
0+50,000+100,000+150,0002019202020212022202320242025Births minus deathsNet migrationChange in the populationMoved inMoved out+8,912+58,009+66,921150,006102,936−12,546+44,873+32,327118,68376,562+6,018+56,838+62,856139,74387,272−2,329+127,502+125,173208,35684,627−526+74,826+74,300169,60996,071−2,944+69,343+66,399162,926100,100−3,889+75,702+71,813

Source: Eurostat, demo_gind (updated 21 July 2026), migr_imm1ctz and migr_emi1ctz (moves of a year or more), retrieved 27 September 2026. Net migration includes Eurostat's statistical adjustment. Not published: moves in and out for 2025.

About 12.46 million people by 2041 on Eurostat's projection

Observed to 2026, then Eurostat's 2025 projection in the lighter line. The bar at 2041 runs from 12.13 million with less migration to 12.81 million with more.

11.0 million11.5 million12.0 million12.5 million13.0 millionEurostat's projection11.24 million in 201511.96 million in 202612.46 million in 204112.81 million, more migration12.13 million, less migration201520202026203120362041

Source: Eurostat, demo_gind (observed, updated 21 July 2026) and proj_25np (EUROPOP2025 baseline and migration tests, updated 11 June 2026), retrieved 27 September 2026.

The share aged 65 and over rises to 24%

0 to 1415 to 6465 and over
2025, observed16.1%63.7%20.2%2041, Eurostat's projection14.3%61.5%24.2%

Source: Eurostat, demo_pjanbroad (2025) and proj_25np (2041), retrieved 27 September 2026.

642.0 billion euro in 2025, and the IMF forecast to 2031

Billion euro, 2025 pricesIMF forecast
550600650700750642.0 in 2025686.2 in 203120171.5%20192.4%20216.3%20231.6%20251.0%20271.1%20291.2%20311.3%

Real growth under each year: observed to 2025 (Eurostat, tec00115), the IMF forecast after; the other years are the 2025 value moved by these rates. Sources: Eurostat, nama_10_gdp (2025 provisional); IMF, World Economic Outlook April 2026; retrieved 27 September 2026.

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What this report answers

  • How many first residence permits for work has Belgium issued each year since 2019?

    7,392 in 2025, 10.8% fewer than the 8,290 of 2024 and 14.4% below the peak of 8,631 in 2023. In 2019 Belgium issued 6,114.

  • Which countries do the new hires come from?

    Citizens of India received 902 permits in 2025, of Türkiye 820 and of the United States 809. The seven Werklist sourcing centres received 1,282 together, 17.3 percent.

  • How does Belgium compare with the EU and its peers?

    1.1 first residence permits for work for every 1,000 residents aged 20 to 64 in 2025, against 2.0 in the Netherlands and 4.9 across the EU; the median of its seven Western European peers is 2.2.

  • How long do the permits run?

    82.3% of the permits of 2025 run for 12 months or more, up from 77.0% in 2019.

  • Which rules apply to employers who hire from abroad?

    Since 1 January 2026 a vacancy in Flanders must be published at VDAB for at least 9 weeks, and ten occupations left the list of medium skilled shortage occupations. One single permit covers residence and work since 1 January 2019.

  • How is the working age population changing?

    It grows: Eurostat projects 6,876,069 people aged 20 to 64 in 2026 and 7,027,251 in 2041, a rise of 2.2 percent, about 151,000 more.

  • How many first residence permits for work do we expect Belgium to issue in 2026, and what comes after?

    At most 7,390 in 2026, the count of 2025 held as an upper reading, with a range down to 4,570; under the Flemish rules the direction for 2026 and 2027 is falling. Held flat, a stated assumption, the count stays at 7,390 a year in 2031; the peers' rate, 11,400, is a scenario.

The full report answers each question with its figures, charts and sources. Request the full report