How to Hire Non-EU Warehouse Workers in Belgium (2026)

6 min

Is there a logistics shortage in Belgium and is direct non-EU hiring realistic?

Belgium sits at the crossroads of European logistics. Main hubs like the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, Liège Logistics, the Ghent canal zone, Genk-Limburg, and the logistics corridors around Halle-Vilvoorde and Brussels Airport face persistent labor tightness. Regional employment offices - VDAB in Flanders, Le Forem in Wallonia, and Actiris in Brussels - consistently list warehouse operators, reach truck drivers, and logistics coordinators as bottleneck professions (knelpuntberoepen).

However, hiring non-EU nationals directly for entry level picking and packing roles is challenging. Belgian immigration policy requires non-EU workers to go through a Single Permit procedure. For lower skilled positions, regional labor authorities enforce a strict labor market test. You must prove that you could not fill the position with an EU, EEA, or Swiss jobseeker despite advertising the position through official channels for several weeks.

Because of this hurdle, Belgian employers rarely bring in non-EU candidates for basic manual loading or order picking. Instead, logistics employers use non-EU recruitment primarily for skilled or specialized roles where local supply is depleted. These include:

Reach truck and heavy forklift operators: Workers with verified technical experience operating narrow-aisle or high-reach machinery.
Inventory controllers and logistics technicians: Staff capable of operating warehouse management systems (WMS) or handling dangerous goods paperwork.
Yard drivers and shunt drivers: Workers holding category C or CE driving licenses who manage container movements on site.

If you need general warehouse workers quickly, direct non-EU hiring is usually too slow. But for technical logistics roles where local recruitment yields zero applicants, sponsoring a non-EU candidate through the Belgian Single Permit system is a viable, repeatable strategy.

The legal route: The Belgian Single Permit process

Belgium has regionalized its economic migration policies. While the rules are similar across the country, the administration handling your file depends on where the worker will actually perform their daily duties.

Flanders: Departement Werk en Sociale Economie (DWSE).
Wallonia: Service Public de Wallonie (SPW Emploi).
Brussels-Capital Region: Bruxelles Économie et Emploi / Brussel Economie en Werkgelegenheid.

The single procedure covers both work and residence rights. The Belgian employer must file the application. The worker cannot apply on their own behalf from abroad.

The standard process follows these steps:

Step 1 - Vacancy publication and labor market test: Unless the role falls explicitly under a regional fast-track shortage list for medium-skilled technical profiles, you must publish the job opening with VDAB, Le Forem, or Actiris. If no local candidate applies after the required posting window (typically 3 to 6 weeks), you receive authorization to look outside the EU.
Step 2 - Digital filing on the portal: You submit the application online via the official federal-regional portal "Working in Belgium" (DWPUB). You must upload the signed employment contract, a copy of the candidate's passport, a medical certificate issued by an approved doctor, and a clean police clearance certificate (extract from the criminal record).
Step 3 - Dual review: The regional authority evaluates the economic grounds (salary compliance, labor market test, contract terms). Simultaneously, the Federal Public Service Interior via the Foreigners Office (Dienst Vreemdelingenzaken / Office des Étrangers) checks security, health, and public order requirements.
Step 4 - Decision and visa issuance: If approved, a Single Permit decision (Annex 46 or electronic equivalent) is issued. The worker takes this decision to the Belgian embassy or consulate in their home country to receive a Type D visa, allowing them to travel to Belgium.
Step 5 - Local registration: Upon arrival in Belgium, the worker registers at the local municipality (gemeentehuis or maison communale) where they reside to obtain their Single Permit residence card (A card).

Always verify current procedural requirements and application portals directly with the competent authority in your region before initiating paperwork, as regional labor migration rules undergo regular indexation and procedural adjustments.

Timeline: From hiring decision to first shift

Expect a total timeline of 3 to 6 months between selecting a candidate and their first working day in a Belgian warehouse.

Recruitment and document collection (3 to 6 weeks): Finding the candidate, conducting video interviews, checking references, signing contracts, and gathering official documents (police record, medical checks, apostilles).
Regional and federal review (8 to 12 weeks): By law, authorities have up to 4 months to decide on a Single Permit application, though straightforward files in Flanders or Wallonia often take 8 to 10 weeks.
Consular processing and travel (2 to 4 weeks): Obtaining the D visa stamp at the Belgian embassy, booking travel, and arriving in Belgium.
Onboarding and municipal registration (1 to 2 weeks): The worker can start working as soon as the official decision is granted, but must complete local municipality registration promptly upon entry.

If you operate on seasonal demand, such as the logistics peak from October through December, direct non-EU hiring must begin in spring. You cannot use this route to solve an immediate, short-term labor gap next month.

Pay, safety qualifications, and employer duties

Belgian labor law is strictly enforced through Joint Committees (Paritair Comité / Commission Paritaire). Logistics and warehouse operations fall under specific industry sectors that dictate minimum wages, working hours, and shift bonuses.

Applicable Joint Committees: Most third-party logistics (3PL) providers fall under PC 140.03 (Logistics for account of third parties) or PC 200 (generic white-collar/technical roles). Internal warehouse teams in retail or manufacturing follow their specific sector committee (e.g., PC 119 or PC 202).
Pay floors: Gross hourly or monthly pay must strictly comply with the applicable sectoral collective bargaining agreement (CAO/CCT). In 2026, entry-level logistics wages typically range from €2,200 to €2,700 gross per month for standard day shifts, with mandatory bonuses for evening, night, or weekend shifts (often 10% to 30% extra depending on the PC).
Equipment safety and licences: A foreign forklift or reach truck license is not automatically valid on a Belgian shop floor under the Codex over het Welzijn op het Werk (Code of Well-being at Work). As an employer, you are legally required to verify driver competency. Most employers arrange a practical assessment and local safety certification (such as VCA or standard IS-001 forklift training) before allowing a worker onto high-bay equipment.
Housing responsibilities: Unlike agricultural seasonal labor, Belgian law does not force logistics employers to provide mandatory housing. However, finding affordable housing near logistics parks in Flanders or Wallonia is extremely difficult for newcomers without a local credit history. Employers who successfully retain international hires typically provide temporary company accommodation (e.g., short-stay apartments or aparthotels) for the first 30 to 60 days.

A legitimate employer never charges a worker for recruitment, administrative fees, job placement, or permit processing. Under Belgian labor law and international standards, requiring a candidate to pay for their contract or visa application is illegal. Workers who are asked for money by intermediaries are being defrauded. Utilizing fraudulent agencies exposes your company to severe joint liability claims, legal fines, and inspection sanctions from the Belgian Social Inspectorate (Sociale Inspectie / Contrôle des lois sociales).

What this costs you, roughly

Here is an realistic overview of the direct expenses involved in sponsoring a non-EU logistics worker in Belgium. These estimates exclude normal wage and social security contributions.

Federal administrative fee (retribution): €140 to €360 depending on statutory updates and permit category.
Document translation and legalization: €150 to €400 for official translation of police clearances and medical certificates into Dutch or French.
Travel costs: €250 to €700 for international flights or long-distance travel to Belgium.
Initial temporary accommodation support: €800 to €1,600 for the first month of managed lodging (optional but recommended).
Local safety training and equipment certification: €200 to €500 per worker for local forklift/reach truck safety assessment.

How to find candidates on the Workuro registry

If you are ready to evaluate candidates for technical or hard-to-fill warehouse roles, you can search the Workuro registry. Workuro is an open database where international workers publish profiles indicating their qualifications, language skills, and desire to relocate to Belgium.

You can filter candidates by trade skills, including reach truck operation, inventory management, or yard driving. When you identify a candidate whose background fits your operational requirements, you contact them directly to conduct your interview process, negotiate terms, and initiate the Single Permit application.

Workuro is a young, growing registry rather than a legacy database. We do not act as an employment agency, we do not take per-hire commission fees, and we do not interfere in your selection process. Candidates join Workuro for free, and employers pay a flat subscription fee to access candidate contact details and communicate directly.