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Laga's Immigration Services
To work in Belgium, all foreign employees must have a valid workpermit. Laga assists companies with international staff in complying with local employment and social security rules.
Laga’s immigration specialists have acquired a solid experience in advising and assisting major Belgian and international groups of companies with a branch or subsidiary in Belgium with respect to their immigration issues (work permits, employment contracts, ...)
Our clients include Japanese, Indian and US companies which have a presence in Belgium and Belgian companies with an international exposure. For particular clients, Laga often represents the only contact in Belgium with respect to their employees’ employment and residence status/issues.
Find Your Way to International Mobility
International mobility and flexibility have become key factors in today’s business climate. However, immigration procedures remain complex and stringent. Compliance with local employment and social security rules is strictly controlled and severe sanctions are imposed in case of non-compliance. Most companies with international staff therefore seek expert advice and assistance.
Immigration issues mainly concern non-EEA nationals who may not perform a salaried activity or a self-employed activity in Belgium without being in possession of a work permit or a professional card respectively (unless certain conditions are met).
As far as visa requirements are concerned, the duration of the foreigner’s residence in Belgium is of the highest importance.
In this respect, immigration compliance requirements should be tackled before the assignment starts and the required paperwork and documentation should be reviewed before the person actually moves to Belgium.
Services provided by Laga’s immigration team are, amongst others:
- Working out different international employment scenarios, based upon the international employment situation;
- Application and renewal of work permits;
- Application for professional cards for self-employed foreign nationals;
- Assistance relating to residence issues;
- Visa application advice;
- Tailored social security and labour law advice in the framework of international mobility;
- Outsourcing of immigration specialists;
- On site client training;
- Audit of existing immigration policies and procedures.
In addition, our immigration services are often provided in cooperation with the Deloitte IAS team (individual tax services) and Propay (payroll services) in order to provide our clients with an interdisciplinary approach offering the best possible “international mobility scenario”. Our cooperation with Deloitte and its network of international member firms represents an asset in the event of, for example, split employment contracts or the assignment of Belgian employees in other European or non-European countries.
Additional services to our international clientele include a client-focused International mobility e-room, enabling clients to follow up immigration procedures, read the latest immigration news thus ensuring a personalised and continued follow-up.
