Making "brain-impotation" even easier.

No newcomer tax for non-EU students and researchers with scholarship

by Andy Furniere,

Summary

Following a request from Flanders’ education minister, the federal government has agreed to exempt international students and researchers with study grants from a €160 extra fee for a residence permit

Measure cancelled

At the request of Flemish education minister Hilde Crevits, the Belgian government has decided to exempt international students and researchers with a scholarship from paying the “newcomers tax” – an extra fee for receiving a residence permit.

 

In March, state secretary for migration Theo Francken had suggested charging students from outside the EU a tax of about €160. The University of Leuven was among those against the decision, saying it considered it unacceptable that students from developing countries would have to pay this tax.

The measure has now been cancelled. “As the scholarships of these students and researchers are directly or indirectly financed by the governments, it’s logical to exempt them from the tax,” the education ministry said in a statement. The decision is also in line with the policy of encouraging international student mobility.

“Letting students and researchers from abroad study and work in Flanders is part of our ambition to encourage and expand the internationalisation of our higher education,” said Crevits.

Photo © KU Leuven/Rob Stevens

http://www.flanderstoday.eu/education/no-newcomer-tax-non-eu-students-and-researchers-scholarship