Working in Belgium After Graduation: The Orientation Year Explained

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

Belgium offers non-EU graduates a one-off residence permit called the orientation year (zoekjaar). It gives you twelve months to find a job or start a business after your degree. This guide uses the pages of the city of Ghent, Ghent University, the University of Antwerp, Hasselt University and the Flemish government, consulted in October 2026. The short version is in the student visa guide for Belgium.

Who can apply

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens do not need a permit to work in Belgium. The orientation year is for non-EU students who hold a Belgian residence permit for study and are about to finish, or have finished, a higher education programme. Sources describe the eligible graduates in slightly different ways:

the city of Ghent lists recent graduates with a higher vocational, bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree
Ghent University requires a recognised diploma of at least associate degree level
Hasselt University describes its own rule for students who obtained a master, postgraduate or doctoral degree in the current academic year

Students with a foreign EU degree who completed a mobility programme in Belgium can apply too, within three months of obtaining the degree, through the Belgian embassy or consulate in the country of residence. Researchers have a separate route and a fee of €152 according to the Ghent page.

What you get

an A card valid for 12 months, which cannot be extended
unlimited access to the Belgian labour market. Ghent University notes that you may work full-time and are not restricted to your field of study
time to look for a job or to start your own business. The University of Antwerp says you must make genuine efforts to look for work or, if you plan to be self-employed, take the steps to set up a business

The University of Antwerp also warns that you are not eligible for Belgian unemployment benefits, and that applying for any kind of financial support from the Belgian government may lead to an earlier, forced ending of the permit.

How to apply

The main rule on the Ghent page: apply at the latest 15 days before your residence card (A card) expires. Holders of a Belgian diploma apply at the local commune. The Ghent page lists these documents for students:

a valid passport and a copy of your residence card
your degree or proof of completed programme
proof of health insurance, for example the certificate from a Belgian health insurance fund (see health insurance for students in Belgium)
proof of financial means

For money, the accepted options are a guarantor's commitment (Annex 32), a blocked bank account, or your own resources such as an employment contract. Hasselt University says an employment contract must cover the full twelve months. The pages give no student amount, so ask your commune what the current minimum is. The application is free of charge for students, per the Ghent page.

Waiting for the decision

If your application is on time and complete, you get a receipt. The Immigration Office decides, and the Ghent page says you receive the decision at the latest 3 months after you file, while Hasselt says within 90 days. If your student card expires during this time, you receive a temporary document, Annex 15, which allows you to stay and to work. If the decision is positive, you get the 12-month A card, and the period covered by Annex 15 is deducted from the twelve months.

When you find a job: the single permit

The employer applies for a single permit (work and residence together). The University of Antwerp says the employer should apply as soon as possible, because it can take three months or longer, and the orientation year gives you a valid residence document in the meantime. The Ghent page also notes that self-employed people need a professional card.

Work permits are a regional matter, and the employer files through the region where the job is located. For highly skilled workers, the Flemish government says the employer can apply for a three-year permit immediately. Its page lists a diploma of at least bachelor's level from a recognised institution and a minimum gross salary, and says recent graduates can apply up to six months before the start date. The amounts on that page date from 2024, so they are not repeated here.

Practical plan

Check your A card expiry date about six months before graduating.
Collect the degree proof, health insurance certificate and proof of means.
File at the commune at least 15 days before the card expires, and earlier if the commune asks.

Our catalogue lists 1,429 programmes at 131 institutions in Belgium, see all programmes.

Official sources

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.