Residence permit after the completion of research with a view to finding employment or starting a business
Residency route facts
Identity
| Official name (local) | Sejour apres la recherche en vue de trouver un emploi ou de creer une entreprise as of 2026-06-24[1] French. The Aliens Act carries the provision at art. 61/13/12 within Titre II, Chapitre VI (Chercheurs). |
|---|---|
| Official name (English) | Residence permit after the completion of research with a view to finding employment or starting a business as of 2026-08-13[2] |
| Legal basis | Loi du 15 decembre 1980, art. 61/13/12 (Titre II, Chapitre VI) as of 2026-06-24[1][2] |
| Instrument type | Not established from a qualifying source |
Who can apply
| Nationals not served by this route | EU, EEA, EFTA as of 2026-08-13[2] |
|---|---|
| Criminal-record condition | Not established from a qualifying source |
Permit terms
| Initial duration | Not established from a qualifying source |
|---|---|
| Renewable | Not established from a qualifying source |
| Work rights | Not established from a qualifying source |
Permanent residence and citizenship
| Counts toward permanent residence | Not established from a qualifying source |
|---|
Requirements
| Job offer required | No as of 2026-08-13[2] The route exists to allow a researcher who has completed a project to look for employment or start a business. |
|---|---|
| Labour-market test | Not established from a qualifying source |
| Qualification requirement | Not established from a qualifying source |
| Employer sponsorship | No as of 2026-08-13[2] The researcher applies personally; no employer is involved at application. |
| Job-search route | Yes as of 2026-06-24[1][2] The route is itself a job-search-or-business-founding instrument, in the v1.0 sense of the flag; the Immigration Office's own naming of it says so. |
Process
| Where to apply from | Not established from a qualifying source |
|---|---|
| Statutory processing time | Not established from a qualifying source |
| Fees |
|
Physical presence
| none stated | to keep the permit as of 2026-06-24[1] |
|---|
Family inclusion
| Family members may be included | Not established from a qualifying source |
|---|---|
| Eligible relations | Not established from a qualifying source |
| Family may apply at the same time | Not established from a qualifying source |
| Family members' work rights | Not established from a qualifying source |
Your next step
Read the requirements above considering your own situation: the income multiple, the absence limits, who you can bring. Check the country record for the reference figure those amounts are calculated from, and for anything that has changed recently.
The next step is your own case. That assessment is legal work. Create profile for our assistance in this.
Profile benefits
- A 30-minute call with our consultant, who reads your profile first.
- An offer for legal support built around your case, covering the whole process.
Verification
| Sources cited | 3 |
|---|---|
| of which official (tier 1) | 3 |
| Oldest as-of date | 2026-06-24 |
| Newest as-of date | 2026-08-13 |
| Reviewed on | 2026-08-17 |
| Schema version | 1.1 |
Sources
- [1] Loi du 15 décembre 1980 sur l'accès au territoire, le séjour, l'établissement et l'éloignement des étrangers — consolidated text (Justel), updated to 24 June 2026
Service public fédéral Justice (Moniteur belge / Justel) · statute · Tier 1 · Published 2026-06-24 · Accessed 2026-08-13 - [2] Contribution fee
Immigration Office (Office des Etrangers / Dienst Vreemdelingenzaken), FPS Home Affairs · fee schedule · Tier 1 · Accessed 2026-08-13 - [3] Contribution fee indexation
Immigration Office (Office des Etrangers / Dienst Vreemdelingenzaken), FPS Home Affairs · official guidance · Tier 1 · Accessed 2026-08-13