Namur is the capital city of the province of Wallonia. The city is surrounded by Liege, Brussels, and Charleroi. It's currently improving in terms of employment.
Namur's economy
Namur plays an essential role in both commercial and industrial sectors for Walloon. Most notably, this city produces leather goods, porcelain, and metals. In addition, it's key in producing machinery and parts.
Its train station is also strategically located. It's a key connection between Brussels, Luxembourg City, and Lille and Liège.
Tourism is also a considerable part of Namur's economy. Because it's located at the head of the Ardennes, a beautiful piece of nature, it attracts people from near and far.
Professional sectors in Namur
The service sector represents 75% of the market share in Namur, which isn't surprising when you consider how big tourism is in this city. The city is an employment basin in Belgium. Namur also benefits from a very active secondary sector and many specialized ones, which means industries like manufacturing, textile, and machinery are huge here. As a result, many young companies choose to implement there.
Namur has an employment rate of 67.5% (2022), below the Belgian average of 71.9%. The unemployment rate was 7.3% in 2022, compared with 5.6% for Belgium in 2023. Unemployment is slightly higher in Namur, but not by much.
Professional sectors that are hiring in Namur
Below are some of the professional sectors that are looking for employees:
Agriculture, wood industry, extractive industry and minerals, food industry, textile industry, information and communications technologies, web, energy, environment, chemistry, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industry, elastomer and plastic, glass industry, technologies, aviation, automobile, building, wholesale and retail business, hotels, restaurants and cafes, transport and logistics, culture and tourism, finance, health, social welfare.
Where to search for a job in Namur
Before arriving in Belgium, online newspapers and websites are two of the best options. A great resource is LinkedIn since headhunters often recruit talent from this platform. By signing up for this site, you'll gain valuable resources, such as job searches, resume builders, interview pointers, and more. Also, in addition to online newspapers and websites, you can try physical newspapers, although that's a bit harder if you're not in the country yet.
Once in Belgium, things get easier. You can use private networks and word-of-mouth, as well as physical newspapers. Many companies are implemented in the Walloon region, which makes the job search easier. There's also Namur University, which helps its students and graduates find jobs. The university job section is available to everyone, so you don't necessarily have to be a student to gain employment through them.
Also, considering that Namur has a vast tourism and service industry, it might be worth it to take a walk around to see what job vacancies there are. Some places might even take spontaneous applications, which are also worth trying.
You can also look at the following:
- Maison pour l'emploi (Job Houses) in Andenne, Basse-Sambre, Beauraing, Gedinne, Gembloux, Philippeville, Rochefort-Houyet;
- Work agencies;
- Forem, the Walloon employment agency;
- Namur City Council often has new positions and is open to spontaneous candidacies.
Become an independent worker in Namur
If you wish to have your own company in Belgium, you can ask for help from the Namur City Council. The following contacts are available.
The Association for Merchants (Associations de Commerçants)
This organization represents merchants in Namur in public services. There are actually five locations in Belgium: Bouge, Jambes, Namur, Saint-Servais, and Salzinnes. The association promotes local merchants and Namur city center in coordinating different activities.
The Bank for Professional Loans and CP Banque
Both of these have the same role as a bank and deliver loans to independent workers. They can help you get started if you need the capital to open your own business but are falling short.
Namur Belgium Service Club
This non-profit organization comprises leaders, technicians, managers, and retired entrepreneurs. They help independent workers, SMEs, and young people, especially for the European Voluntary Service. If you ever need advice on running your business in Namur, the Namur Belgium Service Club will help.
Namur Economic Office (Bureau Economique de la Province de Namur)
The Namur Economic Office is a key partner within the province regarding the economy. The organization develops an economy that's environmentally conscious and respects sustainable development. The office helps companies from various industries, but especially SMEs. It also deals with household waste and works with consultants on tourism, European cultural programs, and exhibition centers.
Namur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie de la province de Namur)
This independent association offers services to independent companies, no matter their size or activity. They welcome both local and international companies to join as members. Various professionals join, such as lawyers, tourism companies, finance companies, IT consultants, airlines, property developers, etc.
Its mission is to help companies develop economic sustainability using local networks and services.
SynHERA
SynHERA was formerly known as ADISIF Interface. This is a center for research and development and provides services for researchers and research project leaders. It aims to be a multidisciplinary network that brings together several research centers. You can consult them with questions or concerns about patents and intellectual property rights.
The Registration Commission for Entrepreneurs
This organization depends on the Public Federal Service for Finances (SPF for short). Candidates who wish to have their company headquarters in Namur must send a registered mail to the organization to get into the system.
Europe Direct Namur
This service within the Economic Board of Namur supports SMEs that wish to develop their activity in Europe. It advises, counsels, and informs so you can determine if you can get funding from the EU for your projects.
Before May 2021, people could go to Europe Direct Namur for these services. However, this resource is no longer available since it closed its doors. Instead, you can find other centers in Brussels, Hainaut, Luxembourg, and Liège.
Namur Invest
This is a joint public limited company. It develops financial tools to create new companies and help those already settled develop more. It offers investments, loans (both secured and unsecured), and support. On that last point, Namur Invest can use its expertise to help you administrate your SME. They can also help you figure out if your business plans are feasible and help you make it so you realize these goals realistically.
Work permits in Namur
You won't need a work permit if you're lucky enough to be from the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA), or Switzerland. In fact, you have the right to move to Belgium without needing a visa. You can look for work immediately and won't need extra paperwork.
On the other hand, if you're from any other country, you'll have to go through the extra step of applying for a work permit before you can legally hold a job. With specific permits, you'll have to apply from out of the country before arriving in Belgium, so you'll need to research before you move. For more information, you can read our article on Belgian work permits.
Salaries in Namur
In Belgium, the minimum wage is a bit higher than in other European countries. You'll get paid a minimum of €1,593.81 per month. You should know that Belgium has one of the highest income tax rates. You'll have to pay between 25 and 50% of your salary, depending on exactly how much you make.
The even better news is that, on average, Belgians make €3,832 per month at their full-time jobs. This number then significantly increases if they have a master's degree. When we look at Master's degree holders, the average is even higher: up to over 47%.
To put things into perspective, employees in Namur earn around €6,070 per month. So if you can get a job in this city, you'll most likely make an excellent wage, especially since this is above the average wage for master's degree holders.
Income taxes in Namur
Just as you would anywhere else in the world, you'll have to pay income taxes on the money you make in Belgium. But how much you're taxed will depend on your residency status.
If you're only in Belgium temporarily and not a legal resident, you're only taxed on the income you make specifically in the country, not anywhere else. But if you have legal residency, you're taxed on all income you generate, including those from out of the country. This is especially important for freelancers who have clients in other countries.
The good news is that income taxes are simple in Belgium. You have to wait for a letter from the tax authorities to tell you if you owe anything. If that's the case, you must pay by June 30.
One thing to note is that expats get some tax-free allowances to help them transition to Belgian life. For instance, you can claim up to €11,000 a year on your taxes, so make sure to explore this further.
Commuting in Namur
Namur is one of the top cities in Europe where its citizens commute to another region within their country; 34% of people do so. So, as you can see, commuting to work is very common, and if you live in another Belgian city, it'll be easy to get to work in Namur.
For example, several trains go from Brussel-Centraal to Namur. You can take the IC towards Liege-Saint-Lambert, Ciney, or Dinant. They'll all take you over an hour to get to Namur. As mentioned earlier, Namur is a central hub connecting Brussels, Luxembourg City, Lille, and Liège. So it'll be straightforward to commute by train.
Unfortunately, when it comes to public transport, the city doesn't have a tram or metro system. The only way you can get around is by bus, which is run by TEC, the public transport operator in the Walloon region. All of the buses start and end at the train station, so you'll be able to catch one to and from work from there if you ride the train.
Belgium has an excellent infrastructure for biking, so you can consider biking to and from work as well. It's more financially viable to purchase your own bicycle, but the Town Administration also offers a bike rental service. You can rent bikes at 20 locations all around Namur. If you work for the University of Namur, you'll get free passes to rent these bikes.
Many Belgians commute by car, which you can purchase, rent, or even car share. The car-sharing system in Namur is called “cambio” and all you have to do is sign up. Once that's done, you can rent a car at the stations throughout Namur. With this system, you can even rent cars elsewhere in Belgium.
What's somewhat unique to Namur is its boat transport services. They're called “les namourettes” and they're available when the weather's warmer. These boats go between Jambes and Namur, but they also have multiple stops along the way, so it's possible to commute from other locations.
Work culture
If you're from a more corporate work culture, you're probably used to the top-down management style. This is typical of French culture, which has its influence in many Belgian workplaces.
However, you can expect many employers to have the Dutch management style, which has gained popularity over the last few years. This gives employees a voice in company decisions and makes them feel more valued. If you prefer this management style, you'll be glad to know that many employers in Namur prefer the Dutch management style.
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