1 June 2006

BRUSSELS — Belgian companies can employ workers from the new EU member states to fill chronic shortages in various trades and professions.

Plumbers, bricklayers and carpenters, plus accountants and IT experts from Central and Eastern Europe are now welcome to work in Belgium.

The federal government opted earlier this year to maintain restrictions on workers from the new member states.

But the government also allowed companies to recruit staff from the new member states to perform jobs where a shortage of workers exists.

The Brussels, Flemish and Wallonian governments drew up a list of professions it deemed were facing shortages and presented them to federal authorities for final approval.

The federal government has since finalised a list of jobs workers from the new member states will be able to perform in Belgium.

The eased regulations came into force on Thursday.     

Only Cypriot and Maltese citizens have been granted full permission to work in Belgium.

[Copyright Expatica News 2006]

Subject: Belgian news