Country Updates

Belgium

News

Temporary Housing 

Local Immigration

Lead time for booking is 8–10 weeks and supply is especially limited in the budget range. 

Non-EU citizens must register on arrival at their residential address, which is not possible in hotels or Airbnb. To avoid compliance risks and delays in residence permits, only an accommodation that allows official registration should be booked.

Since May 2025, all rental contracts in Brussels must include the official reference rent, which reflects fair market value based on property
characteristics. A rent set more than 20% above this reference is considered abusive unless clearly justified, and tenants can
request a formal review.

In practice, however, this measure has had little impact so far and applies mainly to very low-budget properties. Using it aggressively to negotiate lower rents is not advisable and may backfire.

Other reforms introduced in 2025 include a rental guarantee capped at two months’ rent in Brussels and Wallonia (3 months in Flanders), short-term leases (max. 3 years) renewable only once, and planned investments to improve energy efficiency in existing housing stock.

In-demand locations

Leases are either 3 years or 9 years long. 

A notice period of 3 months is always required to end a lease and a penalty must be paid if breaking a lease early. 

Exceptionally and depending on the willingness of the landlord, a 1-year lease can be agreed. The 3-month notice still applies, as does the penalty for breaking contract before the end date.

Lease durations (minimum)

Permanent Housing

Pet acceptance

International school premium application dates

Rolling throughout the academic year.

International year group spaces

Depending on the school

Banking restrictions timeline

National holidays

Country-Specific Nuances

Landlords pay broker fees. 

Expert fees for the check-in are mandatory and need to be covered 50% by the tenant and 50% by the landlord.

For a successful home-finding process in this context, we recommend: 

• Setting a realistic budget, and preparing the application in advance
• Always checking validity of ads (especially cheap options)
• Acting quickly on available properties 
• For young professionals, considering co-living options 

Germany

News

Temporary Housing 

Local Immigration

Housing remains Germany’s number one policy challenge. 

The country faces a shortage of over 800,000 apartments, with construction slowing due to high interest rates and rising costs.

Annual targets of 400,000 new homes remain out of reach, fuelling political debate and keeping housing at the centre of national policy discussions.

Demand for temporary housing remains high, with limited availability of larger furnished apartments.

Bookings should be made well in advance, particularly during major events. I

n Frankfurt, the upcoming Book Fair (15–19 October 2025) will add significant pressure on the market, while trade fairs and seasonal events in Munich, Berlin, and other cities regularly tighten supply.

Since June 2024, it's easier for highly skilled workers to connect with German employers, thanks to the Opportunity Card (Chancekarte).

Germany’s housing shortage continues to worsen. In 2024, completions fell well short of the 400,000 target, with only around 245,000 new apartments built. 

Rising interest rates and construction costs are prompting some landlords to sell rather than re-let properties, further reducing supply. 

Rents continue to climb sharply, especially in Berlin, Munich, and Frankfurt, leaving assignees facing tougher competition for suitable housing.

Check out all housing price categories in the main German cities:

In-demand locations

Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Munich, Dusseldorf, Cologne.

1-2 years. Landlords can put 
4 years as a minimum.

Lease duration (minimum)

Permanent Housing

Pet acceptance

Landlord dependent. 
NO pets in temporary housing.

International school application dates

Rolling throughout the academic year.

Local Schools

Banking restrictions timeline

Registration in Germany must be completed prior to setting up bank account. 

National holidays

Country-Specific Nuances

School vacation time is different in each state. 

Landlords cover exorbitant broker fees.

Unlikely to see more than 4 properties in a day.

Ireland

News

Temporary Housing 

Local Immigration

Rents in Ireland are increasing at the fastest rate on record. Average rent is now at €2,053 nationwide for the first time. 

Just in Limerick, rental rates are up 20% year-over-year.

Fair supply in Dublin but recommended prior reservation of 4 weeks. 

Low supply locations: Cork, Limerick, Galway. 

In Cork, the October Jazz Festival (24 – 27 October) causes extreme shortages. Early booking essential.

As of January 2025, all first-time registrations for any type of residence permission in Ireland must be completed in person at the Burgh Quay Registration Office in Dublin.

All residence permission renewals (regardless of county) must be processed online via the Immigration Service Delivery portal. 

In February 2025, Ireland introduced for the first time a Seasonal Employment Permit.

The permit – open to non-European Economic Area nationals – allows for seasonal work for a maximum of 7 months per year, from April 14 until November 13.

Open-market rents are 43% higher than before Covid-19, according to Daft.ie  

At the beginning of February, there were fewer than 2,300 homes available to rent across the country, down one quarter on the same date a year previously.

Average open-market rent nationwide in Q4 2024 was €1,956 per month.

The report states that in Dublin, rents in Q4 2024 were 4% higher than a year earlier, while outside the capital, they were 7% higher.

BE AWARE: 

Real estate agencies largely shut down between 6 Dec and 6 Jan. 

Tenancies registered with the RTB are capped at 2% annual rent increases, but starting rents remain high.

In-demand locations

After years of high demand and decreasing supply, the whole of Ireland can now be considered in demand, as nowhere is there more than a handful of properties available at any given time.

Particularly hard hit are university towns such as Cork, Limerick and Galway.  

1 year

Diplomatic or break clauses are not available under Irish rental law.

Lease duration (minimum)

Permanent Housing

Pet acceptance

Landlord dependent. 

Increasingly difficult to have pets approved.  

International school premium application dates

One international school in Dublin, flexible with application rolling throughout the year, most EE's children of secondary school age (12-18) go to private Irish schools as day students.

Local Schools

Banking restrictions timeline

Online banks are taking preference due to delays in 'old-school' banks. 

Revolut is an increasingly popular option. 

AIB now offer an online service for opening new accounts, but the account holder needs to confirm a residential address and physically be in Ireland in order to complete the account opening.

BOI has an option for residents of EU and US to open accounts online before relocating to Ireland.

National holidays

Country-Specific Nuances

1. Packimpex liaises with agents and property management companies to have access to properties before they are offered to the general market. 

2. EE should have documents ready before starting home search: proof of funds (work contract, employer letter), landlord references, ID.

3. EE must be ready to make quick decision after viewing a property.

4. Set EE's expectations at an early stage, as rent inflation continues, and new properties become less affordable.

Italy

News

Temporary Housing 

Transport strikes are planned across Italy in September, including at Milan airports and on national rail lines (with a major strike on 26 September). These may disrupt arrivals and extend temporary housing stays. 

The Italian Government has also approved a new Decreto Flussi 2026–2028, authorising nearly 500,000 non-EU workers over three years (164,850 in 2026, 165,850 in 2027, 166,850 in 2028).

Demand remains very high, and advance booking is essential. 

Temporary stays are often extended when long-term housing cannot be secured quickly. 

Local events and festivals, particularly in cities such as Milan, can add further pressure on availability.

Family reunification: non-EU citizens (with certain exceptions) must have at least 2 years of legal and uninterrupted residence in Italy at the time of application for reunification.

The contratto di soggiorno will soon become fully digital via the ALI portal. Employers will confirm entries online, generating the worker’s tax code, contratto di soggiorno (for digital signature), and, if applicable, the Integration Agreement. 

Once uploaded, residence permit forms will be issued. Until October 2025, submission envelopes must still be obtained independently. The system is not yet in force but instructions have been published. 

For Art. 27-quater work permits, the Employment Centre response time has been reduced from 15 to 8 days. After 8 days with no reply, the employer may proceed with the hiring process.

Realtor fees: We are hearing contradictory feedback on this topic. Some realtors deny issuing the invoice to an entity which is not part of the lease, others accept payment from RMCs with no issues. Be aware that in Milan, realtor fees are increasing, now reaching up to 20% of annual rent (previously capped around 15%).

Flat rate taxation system: cannot be applied to Company leases yet, because of opposition from the Revenue Agency.



Handover conditions for rental homes: A recent sentence of the Corte di Cassazione (Italian highest court of appeal) stated that painting is due only if the conditions of the painting go beyond normal wear and tear.

In-demand locations

Standard 4 year lease, can be renewed for further 4 years.

Increase in '3 + 2' rental contracts, especially in the Milan area.

Lease durations (minimum)

Permanent Housing

Pet acceptance

Landlord dependent

International application dates

Rolling throughout the academic year.

International year group spaces

Up to 1 year waiting list for kindergarten spaces in Italy. Consider that a child may need up to 1 month of adaption time before they can attend kindergarten full-time.

Banking restrictions timeline

2 types of accounts are available, resident and non-resident. 

Local registration and an Italian ID card are required to open the resident account.

National holidays

Country Specific Nuances

We recommend assignees to:

• accept the first doctor that the health office assigns.
• be cautious about purchasing or importing electric cars. There's no proper infrastructure yet.

The Netherlands

News

Temporary Housing 

Local Immigration

The Dutch government has announced plans to tighten the Knowledge Migrant Scheme from 2026, with higher salary thresholds and stricter requirements for recognised sponsors. 

These changes are intended to align labour migration more closely with national labour market needs. 

Further reductions to the 30% ruling are also being discussed ahead of Budget Day. While no decision has been finalised, proposals suggest additional cuts beyond the scheduled reduction to 27% in 2027. Employers should be aware of potential adjustments when modelling total reward packages for international staff. 

The Dutch housing market remains under heavy pressure. Private rental supply has fallen by more than a third compared to last year, while average rents have climbed to €1,830 per month, requiring a gross income of €5,490 to qualify.

Properties in the Randstad now receive an average of 57 applications and rent out in under three weeks, reflecting intense competition.

10-12 weeks to obtain work permit and visa. V number takes 2 weeks to get and already allows to book appointments for TH registrations. 

Lead time for residence permit appointment is 8 weeks, and can be booked as soon as one has their V number. 

HSM and Blue Card salary thresholds have increased by 6.7% compared to 2024.

Postal delays are increasingly affecting the delivery of IND and Tax Authority correspondence. Important letters, such as residence permit approvals or 30% ruling decisions, may arrive late or not at all. Clients should rely on digital portals and follow up proactively.

MUST CHECK: latest pricing updates for housing in Amsterdam:

In-demand locations

The Randstad is the most demanding, urbanised and economically significant region in the Netherlands, with 4 major cities: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague (Den Haag), Utrecht. 

Outside the region, Eindhoven (tech and innovation hub) and Rotterdam (major port) are also desirable locations. 

Surrounding suburbs and smaller cities are showing growing demand due to difficult housing situation in large cities e.g. Amstelveen, Delft, Leiden, Haarlem, Hilversum, Almere.

12 months fixed period, afterwards indefinite. 

2-year contracts with flexible cancelation policy no longer exist.

Lease durations (minimum)

Permanent Housing

Pet acceptance

Landlord dependent

International school premium application dates

Banking restrictions timeline

BSN number, proof of identity and employment, and local address are most necessary to provide. 

In general, it is an easy process with possibilities to open bank account in-person or online via mobile application. 

Non-EU citizens must have approved immigration to set up bank account. In case of some nationalities additional checks and specific documentation are required.

National holidays

Country-Specific Nuances

The sooner the initiation the best. 

Work with a local broker: Brokers are valuable in sourcing properties. Broker fees (typically one month’s rent + 21% VAT) must be covered by the employee or employer.

Documentation: Employees should prepare an introduction letter, photo, work contract, and - if salary slips aren’t available - an employment statement from the employer.

Tips for success:

• Flexible and available for viewings.
• Quick decisions to secure properties.
• Budget for overbidding, as it’s common.
• Expanding search to surrounding areas/towns if on a lower budget.
• Consider semi-furnished properties for more options.
• Prepare for additional checks if applying for investment housing.

Switzerland

News

Temporary Housing 

Permit & Visa Processing times

Business and housing markets in Switzerland remain under pressure. Geneva NGOs, along with pharma and watchmaking companies, are adjusting staff levels, adding to a climate of uncertainty. 

On the housing side, the national vacancy rate has dropped to 1% - the lowest in five years. Geneva now has just 0.34% of homes available, and Zurich 0.48%, with vacancy falling 8% year-on-year across the country. 

These developments make early planning and expert local support more important than ever for incoming assignees.

Zurich & Zug have started to require 90-day minimum stay or unlimited housing contract.

Recommended solutions: Book 3-month temp  housing or Unlimited contract with 2-week exit clause.

4-8 weeks

Switzerland has introduced a safeguard clause in its EU agreement, allowing temporary limits on free movement if immigration, unemployment, or welfare thresholds are exceeded.

The Federal Court in Lausanne has ruled that, after renovations to the property, landlords are allowed to raise the rent by a maximum of 2 percent above the reference interest rate for Swiss mortgages.

2025 UPDATE: latest pricing for different categories of housing in the main Swiss cities:

In-demand locations

Geneva, Zurich, Zug

House 1-5 years
Apartment 1 year

Lease durations (minimum)

Permanent Housing

Pet acceptance

Dogs (especially large ones) not always accepted by landlords.

International school application dates

Rolling throughout the academic year but places can be limited.

Local School

According to UBS, Ukranian nationals must also have their permit to be able to open a bank account.

National holidays

Country-Specific Nuances

Quick decision making for housing is key. Only apply for the properties considered a serious option in order to avoid upsetting the real-estate agencies. 

Many things in Switzerland are Canton-specific: immigration process, rental rules and practices can be different depending on the canton. 

Switzerland has four national languages, the language/s spoken depends on the Canton.

United Kingdom

News

Temporary Housing 

Local Immigration

Demand remains high in main cities. 

Book in advance wherever possible. 

Temporary stays are often extended when long-term housing is difficult to secure. Airbnb supply is also tightening due to stricter licensing rules.

Visa processing times remain 4–12 weeks depending on visa type. 

Immigration fees increased in April 2025. 

EU business travellers must now complete an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) when entering the UK.

Rental housing stock remains low, with landlords leaving the market due to taxation changes and higher mortgage costs. 

Built-to-rent schemes are still available in larger cities but at premium prices.

Competition is intense, tenants often need to offer asking price or above, and viewing options are limited, so assignees should be ready to compromise.

Check our recommendations here:

In-demand locations

London, Manchester, Derby, Nottingham, Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, Edinburgh

Standard is 12 months minimum.

The ability to negotiate break clauses into a contract is more difficult than in the past.  

Lease durations (minimum)

Permanent Housing

Pet acceptance

Landlord dependent but owning pets does limit property choice.

Tenants can request permission to keep pets (as per the Renters' Rights Bill).

International school premium application dates

Rolling throughout the year, check for local state schools.

Local School

Banking restrictions timeline

National holidays

We advise EE to be prepared to decide quickly if they want to offer on a property. On average there are average there are 25 prospective Tenants asking to view a property in large cities.

In Tier 2 locations outside the main hubs, local agents are less familiar with third-party relocations and may respond more slowly.

© Packimpex Ltd., 2023  All rights reserved. All our transactions are subject to the general terms and conditions of Packimpex. 
These Terms as well as our code of business ethics, our data protection policy and our anti-bribery policy can be found on our website.

Reach out to Benoit Meyer, Sales Director Packimpex Ltd., to understand how these updates may affect your relocation projects. 

Do you need more insight?

New school year starts between beginning of Aug and mid of Sept. depending on the state.

School holidays vary by state.

Local Kindergarten availability is low, with lengthy waiting lists (6+ months) 

Children are allocated to local schools based on catchment area. Private schools in Ireland are popular and are approximately €6000 per annum on average.

Rolling throughout the academic year.

Local School

Due to influx of refugees, there's high demand + long waiting lists in TaalKlass (classes for international children to help them integrate into the Dutch public school system). 

Public school search is only possible once permanent housing is secured. Local schools can accept 4-5 yo children directly without an integration class. 

First, reach out to school nearest to the permanent address.

The school year starts mid-August with an autumn holiday following end of September/ start of October (depending on the canton). Children are allocated the school in their neighbourhood based on catchment area.

In England state schools are often oversubscribed, with places allocated based on space.

• Salary thresholds for 2025: Flanders, Brussels, Wallonia.
• The new EU Blue card directive has been introduced in all regions. After 12 months, the employee can change employer as long as the new employment meets the same requirements.
• In IT&C, 3 years of experience equals a university degree.
  
• Integration (language) courses will most likely become mandatory for work and residency permits renewals. Still waiting for their enforcement, with variations by region and municipality.

Flanders

• Stricter employment rules for companies that have insufficient economic activity/credit worthiness or newly-founded ones. 
• Obtaining a work permit for non highly skilled workers becomes more difficult. Proof needed that no suitable candidate is found. The vacancy must be published for min. 9 weeks with VDAB and on the EURES platform. 
• Only 29 middle-skilled professions are exempted of the market research.
  
• From 1 January 2026, new rules for employing foreign workers will enter into force as part of a tightened labour migration policy.

Brussels

• no yearly compliance check needed
• no longer looking at the yearly salary but the monthly basic salary
• detailed job description and organisation chart needs to be added to the application

Local Immigration

All main Italian cities are in demand, especially Milan, Rome, Florence, Turin, Bologna.

Banking restrictions timeline

The Affordable Rent Act was designed to expand access to mid-priced rentals, but in practice supply has contracted.

Rental housing stock declined for the first time since 2010 as many landlords sold their properties rather than re-let them. Average rents have risen to €1,830 per month, with properties receiving an average of 57 applicants and renting within 18 days.

In major cities, Packimpex experience shows that budgets of at least €2,200 are now required for a one-bedroom apartment.

We analysed the current situation and its effects here:

Latest pricing updates for different categories of housing in London:

NO pets in temporary housing. 

Landlords can't ban pets outright but they can choose a tenant that doesn't have a pet. In a competitive market it makes an application less appealing.

Belgium has raised the income thresholds for non-EU migrants relocating with their families. In particular, family members of Single Permit holders earning under €5,000 gross per month will no longer automatically receive visas from Belgian embassies. 

These cases are now handled by the Immigration Office, leading to significantly longer processing times.

Work Permit: 12 weeks (before visa application).
Electronic residence permit (eAT): 8-12 weeks.

Be aware that delays may be caused by foreign embassies and consular sections outside of Germany.

IMPORTANT! You need to register your car before entering Brussels.

High-risk countries (listed by each financial institution) nationals may be subject to stricter limitations.

Other than that, non-EU nationals will need a D visa to open a bank account and EU nationals can open one with a passport, work and rental contract. 

When timing is too tight, valid alternatives are: online banks like Revolut for bank account openings and Korfine for security deposits and home insurance.

A lead time of 6 weeks is required for booking. 

The address must allow registration; this should be verified before the booking is confirmed. 

Average prices for a 1-bedroom serviced apartment for 28+ nights are estimated to range between €4,700 and €6,100 (excl. taxes).

Competition is intensifying: private rental supply fell 36% year-on-year, with listings in the Randstad attracting on average 57 applicants and being rented out in under three weeks.

Depending on the country of origin and type of account required, an account can sometimes be opened prior to arrival in the UK. 

When this is not possible, opening a bank account is a quick process. Packimpex can arrange for this to be done online in most cases.

Russian nationals are facing longer processing times & more extensive checks.

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The Renters' Rights Bill (which is still pending) will bring significant changes to the rental market, focusing on tenant rights and stricter obligations for landlords:

• No-fault evictions will be eliminated for new and existing tenancies.
• Fixed-Term Tenancies are replaced by periodic tenancies.
• Landlords will have new grounds to regain possession for reasons like selling or moving into the property.
• Rent Controls and Bidding Ban: Rent increases will be capped and  limited to once per year. Rental bidding wars will be prohibited.
• Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law: Landlords face fines if properties don't meet the new Decent Homes Standard.

From 1st January 2025 VAT will become payable on private school fees at the current 20% VAT rate. 

It is likely that overall school fees will increase by the same amount as schools will not absorb the difference. This will also affect International schools in the UK.

Special mention for school holidays: 

There are differences between French-speaking schools and Dutch-speaking schools.

Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Leuven

Local registration is increasingly done online, with in-person visits often limited to biometric data collection. SEM statistics show declining immigration from outside the EU.

In highly competitive areas such as Geneva and Zurich, we strongly advise EEs to submit a motivation letter with personal details and photo to strengthen their rental applications.

Caution with lease takeover or reprise de bail arrangements: in Geneva and other tight markets, tenants risk inheriting unfavourable terms if contracts are not carefully reviewed.