If you wish to move to Belgium and find a job there, you'll want to know about the labor market. We'll help you familiarize yourself with it by providing essential information below.
Belgian labor market: Key data
Many European Union citizens and others expatriate to Belgium for economic reasons. However, local authorities deal with these two types of citizens differently. Therefore, knowing what to expect before moving to Belgium is better. For instance, the unemployment rate in Belgium at the beginning of 2021 was 6.5%. It rose a little past 6.5% but has since dropped, with 6.0% as of August 2021, before stabilizing at around 5.65% from October 2022.
You might need a work permit if you're a foreigner wishing to work in Belgium. According to official Federal Public Service, Employment, Labour, and Social Dialogue data, 64,600 work permits (all job categories involved) were delivered in 2012. This amount is increasing each year.
The employment level among European Union immigrants who recently came to Belgium was 68.1% in 2015. For citizens outside the EU, it was 36.7% that same year. In total, 55.1% of the immigrants between 20 and 64 years old were employed within the same year they arrived in Belgium.
Access to the Belgian labor market
You don't automatically hold the right to work in Belgium if you're not a European Union member state citizen. If you were offered a position, your employer needs to ask local authorities for authorization to hire you. Belgium's laws regarding immigration are severe, especially since the economic recession hit it.
If you're a citizen from one of the European Union member states, you can work freely in Belgium, thanks to freedom of movement among the EU states. The only requirement is to register at communal services in your town to get a residence permit.
Sectors requiring workforce in Belgium
Belgium was hit pretty hard by the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. In Q2 of 2020, the country's economy contracted by 12.1%. It's projected that the economy won't recover for around two years.
However, as the world is starting to recover from the pandemic, so is Belgium. Some promising sectors for work include health, education, public services, social services, transport and logistics. On the other hand, if you're looking for a job in the restaurant and hotel sectors, you'll have tough luck finding permanent positions. There have been more temporary positions than permanent ones in the wake of the pandemic.
Work contracts in Belgium
In Belgium, every employer must provide foreign workers with a work contract. The appropriate authorities might require this contract to get a residence permit.
Belgian companies can propose three different contracts:
- temporary contract;
- permanent contract;
- temporary and substitution contracts.
Work contracts might be written in Dutch. Don't hesitate to ask for a translated copy from the company.
Wages in Belgium
Wages in Belgium are negotiated between companies or an industry sector and trade unions. The amount of taxes you pay depends on your family composition. You'll spend 13.07% of your wages to cover social taxes, while your employer pays around 27%. Both you and your employer will each pay 6.2% of the salary toward social security.
We do our best to provide accurate and up to date information. However, if you have noticed any inaccuracies in this article, please let us know in the comments section below.
