Living in Belgium often also means that you will work in the country. Sometimes it is the case that you live in the Netherlands, but work in Belgium and sometimes it is the case that you live in Belgium, but continue to work in the Netherlands. By your presence on this page we assume that you is going to emigrate to Belgium.
Of course, it is always the case that in every other country, including Belgium, you will have to deal with other rules. In this article, we will try to explain to you as best as possible what it is like to work abroad. It mainly concerns general information. Who knows, this may help you a little on your way.
Why would you want to work in Belgium?
In general, Belgium is not unknown territory for us Dutch people. Who has never visited Brussels or Antwerp? Maybe you even went camping in the Belgian Ardennes in the past. Belgium is a beautiful country with beautiful nature reserves and it is also close to the Netherlands. If you are going to live in Flanders, the language will not even be a problem. Are you going to live or work in Wallonia? Then you have to make sure that you brush up on your French, because Dutch will not be of much use to you there.
Working in the European Union (EU)
The EU brings many advantages and easier working abroad is one of them. You do not have to deal with difficult applications for work or residence permits, for example. Cross-border workers even have it very easy because of the Schengen Treaty. This allows for free movement of people. It is also because of this that you can easily settle in Belgium.
What do you need to arrange?
You can deregister from the Netherlands up to 5 days before your emigration at the municipality where you live. In Belgium, you are legally obliged to register again within 8 days. After your registration, your details will be checked and you will receive confirmation of this. You can then apply for your Belgian BSN number at the Belgian Social Insurance Bank. In Belgium, this is called the 'social security identification number' (INSZ). Without this number, you cannot work in Belgium.
Do you want to open a Belgian bank account?
Another great advantage of the EU is that when you live and work in another member state, you do not necessarily have to open a bank account in that country. Why would you actually exchange your Dutch bank account for a Belgian one? The answer to this is simple. It is purely and simply because Belgian transactions can be processed faster. This means that you will probably also receive your salary faster.
Your health insurance
In Belgium, the health insurance fund is called mutualiteit. You are required to register with one of the health insurers in the country. The costs for this are very low compared to the Netherlands, because the costs are compensated by taxes from employers and employees. In Belgium, it is arranged that you have to give approximately 13% of your gross salary to the health insurance fund as a personal contribution. Employers must also give an amount. This is often an amount between 15% and 22% of your salary.
Taxes
Belgium may be a tax haven for wealthy pensioners, but not for the 'ordinary' population. Belgium has one of the highest tax rates in Europe.
Belgian tax bracket
- €0.01 to €13440.00 = 25% tax
- €13440.00 to €23720 = 40% tax
- €23720 to €41060 = 45% tax
- more than €41060 = 50% tax
The Belgian market
Working in Belgium is not very difficult, because the economy in the country is doing well. You can also notice this in the employment. Companies and therefore an employer are not allowed to discriminate between their employees based on nationality. As a Dutch citizen you have exactly the same rights as Belgian employees. When you work in Belgium you will notice that you will encounter a lot of Dutch people in the border region. Many people who live in the Netherlands choose to stay here, but then want to work in Belgium.
Sectors such as agriculture and construction are often looking for staff. It is also good to know that social security contributions and benefits in the country are also very well organised.
Good to know when you are going to work in Belgium
Salaries in Belgium are generally somewhat lower than in the Netherlands and taxes are, as you have read before, a lot higher. However, the Belgian government does meet you halfway in terms of costs by lowering the cost of living. In Belgium, an average working week consists of 38 hours, but a new law has also recently been passed. This law now allows Belgians to opt for a working week of 4 days while retaining their salary.
Differences in work culture
In Belgium, people are still used to hierarchy. This can be quite difficult for us Dutch people, because we are not used to it at all. When your boss in the Netherlands wants to make a decision about something important, it is not unusual for him to ask for the opinion of his staff and otherwise the staff can also give an opinion without being asked. In Belgium, this is not the case at all. The boss makes the decisions and if you are not asked, it also means that they do not appreciate it when you give an opinion. You could actually say that Belgians mainly listen a lot, unlike the Dutch, who mainly talk a lot and are also direct and confrontational. You will therefore not quickly notice when Belgians do not agree with you, because they do not show this quickly. Furthermore, people in the workplace in Belgium are often a bit more reserved. In the Netherlands, jokes are quickly made and everyone will chat happily with each other, but in Belgium this is certainly not the case.
Finally..
Are you also moving to Belgium soon? Immerse yourself in the Belgian culture, inform yourself well about the employment conditions and read about people's experiences on the internet. These can also be experiences of a cross-border worker, because that person has had to deal with the culture of Belgium and especially Flanders.
It is also necessary and therefore important to look carefully at your own situation. Are you self-employed or are you going to be employed? Are there still certain obligations that you must adhere to or do the rules not apply to you and your situation? In this way, you ensure that you start your emigration well prepared and that you can start working on the Belgian labor market without any problems.
Don't forget to arrange a moving company?
Moving to Belgium also means that you want to move your belongings. It is wise to request online quotes from various moving companies. You can let them know what your wishes are and the moving companies can calculate all the costs for you. At Moova, the quotes are free and without obligation, so you can make a choice from the companies at your leisure and choose the moving company that suits you best.
Do you have any questions?
Do you have any questions about emigrating or working in Belgium? Do you want more information about the Belgian tax authorities or possible health insurance? Do you want more information about pensions or benefits? Then you can always consult the other articles on our website. We have a huge number of articles regarding emigration to Belgium and we are therefore almost certain that your question will be answered in one of the other articles.
