The new legislation, which from January 1, 2025, will require contractors to not only have a contractual clause prohibiting the employment of illegal third-country nationals but also to actively check the identification documents, residence and work permits of the workers (and self-employed individuals) of foreign subcontractors, will be postponed. The required government database is still under development, which means the law cannot come into force on the planned date.
This was confirmed by Flemish Minister Zuhal Demir at the parliamentary committee meeting on December 11, 2024. Since the application, which is crucial for conducting the document checks, cannot be operational on the planned date, it would create an additional administrative burden for companies instead of the intended relief.
The Flemish Government is therefore currently in the process of postponing the implementation date. When the law will come into force exactly is hoped to be announced in the coming days.
We are closely monitoring the situation and will inform you as soon as there is more clarity on the postponed implementation date.
In the meantime, if you have any questions, our labor law team is happy to assist you.