Belgium Investigates Suspected Fraud in Moroccan Work Permit Applications

The Belgian embassy in Rabat has blocked 80 "potentially fraudulent" applications, pending the completion of the investigation opened a few months ago. According to the general directorate of the Office of Foreigners, the "single permit" allows Belgian companies to hire and bring in Moroccan, Turkish and other nationals to work in sectors that lack manpower.

However, a few months ago, the Belgian consulate in Istanbul informed the federal and Flemish authorities of a possible fraud in the applications addressed to it, alerting the other Belgian consulates and embassies in non-European countries whose nationals use this type of permit. Doubts then arose about the good faith of the companies concerned.

"This does not mean that all these files are problematic," reacted the Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration, Nicole de Moor. "Everyone has been informed in time and no visa is being issued," she specified.