BRUSSELS — In future, foreign scientists will no longer need a work permit to work in Belgium, State Secretary for Administrative Simplification Vincent Van Quickenborne said.

Van Quickenborne said on Monday the change in regulations will speed up the entry of scientists into Belgium by one to two months.

However, the academics must earn a minimum of EUR 32,000 per year to qualify for the scheme, news service VRT reported.

They will also have to work at an official Belgian scientific institution or at an acknowledged private research facility.

The federal government plans to grant similar exemptions to executives of multinational companies in Belgium.

It is hoped the new regulations will stimulate innovation and economic growth.

[Copyright Expatica News 2005]

Subject: Belgian news