Access to the labour market for asylum applicants in Belgium

As EU countries have implemented preventive restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic and frizzed travels and border crossing, some of the members states share concerns regarding the crisis in the agri-food sector. 

In aim to prevent the shortage of labour in Belgium the Inner Cabinet, at its meeting of 11th April, announced the Additional socio-economic and health measures in the fight against Covid-19. One of the decisions expands the access to the labour market for asylum applicants. According to the order, asylum seekers, who has submitted the application to the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons,  “have possibility to work for the duration of the procedure, including the duration of any appeal against the decision, which is submitted to the Council for Alien Law Litigation. 

In March Belgium provided restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.Tthe Federal Immigration Office suspended the assistance of migrants and  stopped the work on new or existing applications for asylum. Services and reception centres for migrants also remain closed. 

Resources: 
Additional socio-economic and health measures in the fight against covid-19,  [11.04.2020].
Confinement: le kern annonce une série de nouvelles mesures socio-économiques, [11.04.2020].
Coronavirus: Belgium begins shutting down services for asylum seekers, [17.03.2020].