According to figures contained in the Flemish Economic Migration Service’s annual report, the number of migrant workers coming to Flanders from outside the EU continues to rise. This is mainly due to persistent labour shortages in some sectors of the economy, particularly in so-called “bottleneck profession”.
Meanwhile, the free movement of labour from within the EU is stagnating. The number of workers from Central and Eastern Europe coming to Flanders to work is no longer increasing and some Central and Eastern European countries are themselves facing labour shortages. The focus is now increasingly switching to recruiting labour from outside the EU.
The number of migrant workers from outside the EU has been on the rise in recent years. In 2025, 27,561 applications were made from people from outside the EU to come and work in Flanders. 23,989 of these were approved. This is and 18.1% increase in the number of applications made in 2024 and a 19.7% increase in number of applications approved.
Of the total number of applications, 9,998 were renewals. In addition, the number of applications (1,139) and approvals (749) for permanent work permits is also increasing. “The Flemish government wishes to make sustainable use of foreign talent and integrate it into the Flemish labour market and society,” the Flemish Economic Migration Service.
Of the 28,000 work permits in that were valid in 2025, 58% were for highly skilled workers. India remains the main country of origin for highly skilled foreign (non-EU) workers followed by China, Turkey, Japan and Iran.
Amongst medium-skilled workers Turkish nationals are the largest group, followed by Filipinos. Transport is the largest sub-sector in this category. Last year, most work permits were issued to lorry drivers, followed by care workers and maintenance mechanics.
In addition to seasonal workers, the category listed as “others” includes other bottleneck positions for which an employer can demonstrate that no candidates are available here. From this year, low-skilled profiles are explicitly excluded from this category. Economic migration for seasonal workers, that are allowed to stay for a maximum of 90 days, has on the other hand been simplified. Ukrainians for the largest group among seasonal workers. 82% of seasonal workers are women.