Romanian workers in Belgium

Belgium has refused to open its labour market to workers from Romania and Bulgaria on the grounds that many nationals of those countries already working there cheat the social benefits system, The market stays closed until 2015.

Despite earlier indications to the contrary, one of the first decisions of the newly appointed Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo has been to extend until the end of 2013 the restrictions on Bulgarian and Romanian workers in Belgium.

The announcement, made by Belgian Employment Minister Monica De Coninck, is seen as a setback for Bulgaria and Romania, which had campaigned for lifting all remaining restrictions applying to their nationals in EU countries (see background).

Romanian workers can only come legally to Belgium with the A1 form (detachment ) when a Belgian company signs a contract for subcontracting with a Romanian company. The Romanian company has to apply to Limosa and announce the workers in this system.
So it is time that a lot of Belgian companies start to take measures for regularization in order to avoid problems with the labour inspection in Belgium.
It is better to work under legal provisions.
Employees who are temporarily staying in Belgium for a service, are not tourists. They must register in the municipality where they temporarily reside.
There is a different procedure depending on the expected length of service or not exceeding 3 months.
Documents required for a period longer than three months:

• Contract of service
• identity card or passport
• employment
• any work permit from the country where the employee normally works
• A1
• Belgian residence address
• Copy of birth certificate
• Copy of marriage certificate