Professional card for foreign entrepreneurs: new procedure from 1 January 2022
Do you have a professional card which you would like to renew or replace? Then nothing changes for you at the moment: you should follow the existing procedure.
On 1 January 2022, the new decree on professional cards comes into force. This means that new admission conditions will apply as of then. The digital application procedure for new professional cards takes effect on 1 February 2022. Here you will find the explanation of the next steps. In the meantime, a temporary procedure applies for applications on paper.
Anete Lusina(Unsplash)
The Flemish Parliament Decree of 15 October 2021 on the performance of self-employed professional activities by foreign nationals has been published in the Belgian Official Journal. The decree comes into force on 1 January 2022. This means that, from that date onwards, admission conditions apply and new professional cards must be applied for digitally. The changes will be described in detail on the website in early January this year. These are the main points:
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New applications via the WSE counter Foreign nationals who are legally residing in Belgium can submit as of the 1st of January 2022 their application for a new professional card via the WSE counter. This means that you are no longer required to apply for a professional card via an embassy or a business counter. Those who are still abroad or want to renew an existing professional card should, for the time being, follow the current procedure, pending the further roll-out of the WSE counter.
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Admission requirements With the introduction of admission requirements, proposals from a high-tech company will be assessed differently than proposals from a sport coach. These admission requirements will enable the Department of Work and Social Economy (WSE) to determine whether the proposal delivers innovative, economic, sporting, artistic or cultural added value for Flanders.
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Administrative simplification For each category of business, an overview is provided of all evidences that are required to submit the application correctly. If desired, you can ask a mandatory to apply for your professional card. You will receive a final decision within 120 days. If the decision is positive you can, on payment, consult your professional card digitally or download it.
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Updated appeal procedure You can lodge an appeal against a negative decision. In that case, experts in various policy areas will be consulted for an opinion on the file. They assess the potential added value of the proposal for Flanders in the areas of economy, innovation, sport and culture.
Do you have any questions? Don’t hesitate to contact the Expat Centre Limburg team by email welkommanagement@pomlimburg.be OR the WSE department by email: beroepskaart@vlaanderen.be or by phone on Monday or Thursday from 1 to 4 p.m. at number 02/553 08 80.
Source: https://www.vlaanderen.be/en/professional-card-for-foreign-entrepreneurs