How to Hire Bus Drivers from Abroad in Belgium (2026)

7 min

Is there a real driver shortage in Belgium?

Belgium faces an acute shortage of bus and coach drivers. Public transport subcontractors for De Lijn in Flanders and TEC in Wallonia, as well as private coach operators across the Brussels capital region, Antwerp, Ghent, and Liège, consistently report unfulfilled routes due to staffing gaps. The driver occupation (bestuurder van autobussen en touringcars / chauffeur d’autobus et d’autocar) is officially recognized as a shortage trade (knelpuntberoep) by regional employment agencies including VDAB in Flanders, Forem in Wallonia, and Actiris in Brussels.

While the demand is high, bringing in bus drivers from outside the European Union is not the simplest option available. Private transport companies frequently attempt local training initiatives or recruit from other EU member states first. The primary barrier when recruiting from outside the EU is not the willingness of employers to hire, but the strict regulatory framework surrounding Category D driving licences and the mandatory Certificate of Professional Competence (Code 95). Non-EU driving licences generally cannot be directly swapped for a Belgian Category D licence without theoretical and practical examinations unless specific bilateral agreements exist. As a result, hiring from abroad requires a commitment to guide the incoming driver through both legal immigration and local qualification steps.

The legal route: Single Permit application and licence recognition

To hire a non-EU driver, a Belgian employer must go through the Single Permit (Gecombineerde vergunning / Permis unique) process. This single procedure combines both the authorization to work and the authorization to reside in Belgium. The employer, not the foreign worker, must submit the application online through the national Working in Belgium portal.

Immigration and labour policy in Belgium is split between federal and regional authorities:

Regional Labour Authorities: The application is routed to the region where your business unit is located: the Flemish Department of Work and Social Economy (Flanders), SPW Économie, Emploi et Recherche (Wallonia), or Brussels Economy and Employment (Brussels). They evaluate the employment criteria and enforce shortage rules.
Federal Immigration Office: The Dienst Vreemdelingenzaken (DVZ) / Office des Étrangers (ODE) reviews criminal background, identity checks, and public policy conditions.

Because bus driving is listed on regional shortage lists, the formal labour market test (proving no Belgian or EU citizen can fill the role) is often streamlined or waived, provided the applicant meets all technical qualification standards.

Beyond the immigration permit, you must address professional driving qualifications:

Category D Driving Licence: Drivers from non-EU countries must possess a valid heavy vehicle licence in their home country. However, once in Belgium, they must pass a medical check (medisch attest / attestation médicale) and usually pass practical and theoretical Category D driving exams administered by recognized testing centers (such as SBAT or Autoveiligheid in Flanders, or Auto-Sécurité in Wallonia) to receive a Belgian or EU-standard licence.
Code 95 (Certificate of Professional Competence): Under EU Directive 2003/59/EC, all professional bus drivers in Belgium must hold Code 95. Non-EU drivers who do not hold a Code 95 issued by an EU member state must complete mandatory training (typically 35 hours or full initial qualification modules) and pass the official exams in Belgium before they can legally operate a commercial passenger vehicle on public roads.

Always verify current immigration administrative rules directly with the Dienst Vreemdelingenzaken and regional employment offices, as procedural details and digital submission requirements are updated periodically.

Timeline: from job offer to the driver starting initial routes

Employers should anticipate a timeframe of 4 to 7 months between signing an employment contract and having a non-EU driver fully licensed and behind the wheel in Belgium. The workflow proceeds through clear stages:

Document Preparation (Weeks 1 to 4): Gathering certified copies of the candidate's passport, non-criminal record, medical certificate, foreign driving licence, and employment contract formatted under Belgian labor standard requirements.
Single Permit Processing (Weeks 5 to 16): The regional authority and DVZ/ODE evaluate the dossier. Statutory decision deadlines are up to 120 days, though shortage trades often see decisions rendered within 60 to 90 days.
Visa Issuance and Arrival (Weeks 17 to 20): Once the Single Permit is granted, the driver applies for a Type D visa at the Belgian embassy or consulate in their country of residence and travels to Belgium.
Local Registration and Qualification Testing (Weeks 21 to 28): Upon arrival, the worker registers at the local municipality (gemeentehuis / maison communale). The employer then schedules the medical evaluation, driving tests, and Code 95 training modules. The driver cannot drive commercial routes unsupervised until these tests are completed and the Belgian licence with Code 95 is issued.

Mandatory pay, collective agreements, and employer duties

Belgian labour law strictly enforces pay equity. Non-EU workers hired under a Single Permit must receive the exact same salary scale, benefits, and working conditions as domestic Belgian drivers holding the same post.

In the road transport sector, pay conditions are governed by Joint Committees (Paritair Comité / Commission Paritaire):

Joint Committee 140.02 (Buses and Coaches): Applies to private bus companies operating coach services, school transport, or scheduled routes subcontracted to public entities.
Pay Scales (Barema's / Barèmes): Gross hourly wages for bus drivers under PC 140.02 typically range between €17.00 and €20.50 per hour gross, depending on seniority, specific duty profiles, and shift patterns. This translates to roughly €2,800 to €3,400 gross per month for a full-time schedule (38 hours per week), excluding shift premiums, night pay, or weekend surcharges.
End-of-Year Bonus and Benefits: Drivers are entitled to statutory benefits including an end-of-year bonus (13th month), eco-vouchers, sector-negotiated holiday pay, and medical cover through Belgian social security contributions.
Housing Obligations: There is no legal obligation under standard Single Permit rules for an employer in PC 140.02 to provide free housing. However, because new arrivals cannot secure private lease agreements without local credit history or a Belgian national registry number (Rijksregisternummer / Numéro national), employers customarily assist by arranging temporary housing (such as furnished apartments or extended-stay lodgings) for the first 1 to 3 months.

A note on recruitment liability: Under Belgian law and international labour conventions, a legitimate employer or recruitment agent never asks a job seeker to pay for their own recruitment, visa processing, or placement fees. Workers who are charged fees by third parties to secure a job offer in Belgium are victims of illegal recruitment practices. Employers who partner with unethical brokers face severe legal penalties under Belgian social inspection audits and risk immediate cancellation of their immigration sponsorship rights.

What this costs you, roughly

When budgeting to bring a non-EU bus driver into your Belgian fleet, expect the following direct overhead costs per worker:

Administrative and Visa Fees: €140 to €220 (Federal administrative fee plus local embassy processing charges).
Licence Conversion, Code 95 Training, and Testing: €1,500 to €3,500 (Covers medical examination, driving school registration, official exams, and Code 95 coursework in Belgium).
Travel and Relocation: €400 to €1,000 (One-way flight or transit to Belgium).
Initial Accommodation Support: €800 to €2,500 (Temporary lodging costs for the first month or two, whether subsidized or fully covered by the employer).

In total, employers should budget roughly €2,800 to €7,200 in upfront onboarding costs per non-EU driver before the employee is fully operational on public routes.

How to search Workuro for bus drivers

Workuro operates a direct candidate registry designed to connect European employers with candidates worldwide who want to relocate. It is not a recruitment agency, does not charge per-hire fees, and takes no commission on placement decisions.

To find potential bus drivers on Workuro:

Filter by Trade: Select bus or coach driving as the primary professional skill.
Filter by Target Country: Specify Belgium to view candidates who have indicated a clear preference to relocate to the country.
Review Qualifications: Check candidate profiles for details regarding current driving licences, international experience, language skills (English, French, or Dutch), and existing professional certifications.
Direct Contact: Reach out directly to promising candidates through the platform to arrange preliminary interviews, discuss licence conversion support, and evaluate candidate readiness.

Please note that the Workuro registry is young and continually growing. You will not find thousands of immediate options for every specialized role, but you will find transparent profiles of workers looking for real opportunities. As an employer, you retain complete control over the hiring, verification, and Single Permit process from start to finish.