Working Holiday Program in Belgium

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What is the Working Holiday Program (WHP)?

The Working Holiday Program (WHP) is a visa that allows you to reside in Belgium for one year to travel, while also having the opportunity to take on occasional paid work.

It is a wonderful opportunity to discover Belgium, a gateway to Europe, and to enjoy a wealth of new cultural, travel, interpersonal, and other experiences. You can work to finance your stay and/or add international professional experience to your resume.

The (multiple entry) visa is valid for a maximum of one year and allows you to travel throughout Europe (Schengen area).

Who can apply? 

To be eligible for the Working Holiday Program in Belgium, you must be:

  • A Canadian citizen;
  • Between 18 and 30 years of age (inclusive);
  • Domiciled and residing in Canada at the time of application

You must also be in good health, have an insurance throughout your stay, demonstrate your ability to make the trip with sufficient financial resources, and meet public order and security requirements.

When to apply? 

There are no deadlines or invitation rounds.

We recommend that you begin the process as soon as possible, as gathering all the required documents can take time.

Send your application to the Consulate General of Belgium in Montreal at least 1 month before your departure date.

Please note that processing times vary depending on the period and the volume of applications we receive. Submitting a complete and proper application will help avoid delays in processing.

How to apply? 

If you meet the eligibility criteria, you can submit your application in four steps:

1 : Gather all the documents listed in the table below.

2 : Complete your online application form via VisaOnweb.

3 : Finalize your application on VisaOnWeb, print the form, date, and sign it.

4 : Submit your application, including the VisaOnWeb form and all supporting documents, either:

  • By secure mail (regional or national XpressPost envelope, FedEx, UPS, DHL, or Purolator, with tracking number); or
  • In person at the Consulate General of Belgium in Montreal. No appointment is required!

Your application file must contain all of the following attachments:

Requirements

Remarks
1. A statement of intent

Format: A letter of intent, dated and signed by you, explaining your project in Belgium and why you think it should be supported by the Program.  
Subject: Travel is the main purpose of the WHP 

 The WHP is not appropriate if your main goal is to study or to work in Belgium. 
2. Proof of payment of the administrative fee

Amount: EUR 236,00  
Format: Copy of the wire transfer in EURO (€) 
Beneficiary: SPF Intérieur, Office des étrangers, Boulevard Pacheco 44, 1000 Bruxelles 
IBAN: BE57 6792 0060 9235 
BIC: PCHQBEBB 
Bank: BPOST SA, Centrum Monnaie (no number), 1000 Brussels, Belgium 
Communication: NAME First Name NATIONALITY Birth date (DDMMYYYY) 

 Please contact your bank for the proof of payment. 
The communication must include the name, first name, birth date and nationality of the applicant: Example: SMITH Anne CAN 15072011 
All charges, including bank charges and transfer fees, must be born by the applicant. 
More info: administrative fee 
3. Payment of the Consular fees 

Amount: amount in CAD for the visa handling fee for a D-type visa (See Consular fees). 
Format: Certified cheque or Postal Money Order (Canada Post). Cash sent by mail or personal cheques will not be accepted! 
Order of: Consulate General of Belgium 

 No cash, no Euros 
4. Two recent pictures 

Format: passport size, color with white background 

 Photo must be less than 6 months old 
 
5. Canadian passport 

Validity: >15 months following the start of the WHP 

  
6. Application form

Format: Visa application form, filled out online, printed out, dated and signed. 
Fill it out online: VisaOnWeb 

  
7. Police check

Source: Issued by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) 
Format: Certified Criminal Record Check with fingerprints, bearing the RCMP seal and the signature of the Director General of Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services (CCRTIS)
Date: issued less than 6 months before application.  
Authentication: Apostilled by Canadian authorities : Global Affairs Canada. Please do not notarize the certified criminal record check but send it as is, in its original form, to Global Affairs Canada, so they can affix the appropriate Apostille.

 No other police certificate will be recognized. 
 
8. Medical certificate 

Source: Filled out, signed and stamped by:  
- either an accredited Doctor (PDF, 205.13 KB)
- or your Physician*  
Format: an original model medical certificate (see below)
*If it is your own Physician, add the copy of your Physician’s page as it appears in the Directory of your Province’s College of Physicians (PDF, 205.13 KB) 
Date: Date of both medical investigation and certificate less than 6 months before application 
Download: Medical certificate 

  
9. Proof of sufficient funds

Subject: Establish that you will have access from Belgium to the equivalent of 2,500 EUR minimum 
Format: Your 3 most recent bank statements bearing your full name. Alternatively: a bank certificate, signed by your banker. No screenshot. 

  
10. Proof of your ability to return

A return flight ticket or sufficient financial means to purchase a return ticket (e.g. : a credit card in your name with a validity >1 year).   

  
11. Medical insurance 

Subject: Comprehensive insurance covering workplace accidents, healthcare, hospitalization, and repatriation for 365 days (even if your stay is planned for less than one year)
Format: A certificate showing your first and last names and specifying the coverage and conditions of the insurance for one year.

 Provide a succinct, legible insurance document (max. 3 pages) that includes the requested information. 
 
12. A return envelope 

Subject: This envelope will be used to safely ship your passport and other confidential documents back to you.
Format: A prepaid and preaddressed courier envelope, with a tracking number: e.g.: Xpresspost, FedEx, UPS, DHL or Purolator.  

 No document will be posted to an address outside Canada. Please contact a courier service to verify which type of envelope is best suited.

The Consulate General of Belgium reserves the right to ask for any further documents. 
 

Contact details

 You can mail your file or hand it in at the following address: 

Consulate General of Belgium in Montreal
Visa Dept. / WHP
1000, rue Sherbrooke Ouest – Suite 1400
H3A 3G4 Montréal, QC
 

Visa in hand, what's next? 

You should arrive in Belgium within 3 months of the date the visa is affixed in your passport.

Within 8 days of your arrival in Belgium, head to the local "commune" or "gemeente" (the municipality) in order to get registered. Once your registration completed, you should receive a resident permit, the A card, which allows you to travel within the Schengen Area.

Please note that some municipalities require a legalized/apostilled birth certificate and certificate of single status. Be sure to have these documents apostilled before leaving Canada.

Practical information

Status

Participants in the Working Holiday Program cannot extend their stay beyond the authorized period, nor can they change the status of their activity during their stay. In addition, candidates can only be admitted once to participate in this program between Belgium and Canada.

Work and study

The Working Holiday Program allows participants to spend their holidays in Belgium and take up occasional paid employment. In this context, the WHP offers an exemption from the requirement to obtain a work permit to work as an employee in Belgium. The laws and regulations in force in Belgium concerning social security, working conditions, remuneration, safety, and hygiene in employment apply.

You may also, if you wish, take part in occasional study or training programs. The total duration of these programs may not exceed three months.

Get ready

Discover Belgium at a glance.

Enjoy your stay in Belgium!