u/Impressive_Dig_8785

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for advice from other non-EU nationals living and working in Belgium, especially those on a single permit (Type A residence card).

A bit about my situation:

- Non-European passport

- Living in Brussels

- Working as an AI engineer

- Indefinite employment contract

- Will soon have almost 3 years with my current employer

- Current residence permit is valid until January 2027

- My long-term goal is to stay in Belgium permanently and eventually apply for permanent residence/citizenship (likely around 2028)

Objectively, I know I have a stable job, but I can't help worrying about what would happen if I were laid off.

From what I understand, if I lose my job, I don't have unlimited time to stay (only 3 months I think). I would need to either:

- find another employer willing to sponsor a single permit,

- or potentially apply for a professional card if I start consulting as a freelancer.

Reading Reddit posts about the current tech market doesn't exactly help my anxiety. 😅 It feels like many people are struggling to find jobs, and I'm not yet fluent in French or Dutch (I'm working on it).

So I'm curious:

- How do you personally deal with the stress of knowing your right to stay depends on your job?

- Do you always keep interviewing, talking to recruiters or search for Belgian university courses as a backup?

- Has anyone here actually lost their job while on a single permit? What happened afterwards?

- Were you able to find another sponsor in time?

- Did anyone successfully switch to a professional card or another residence status?

- Did anyone use family reunification (if you had an EU citizen partner) after losing a job?

- Has anyone unfortunately had to leave Belgium because they couldn't find another job?

- Are there any "backup plans" you've put in place that gave you peace of mind?

I'm not looking for legal advice so much as real-life experiences and how people manage the uncertainty.

Thanks in advance!