Belgium

Country: Belgium

Belgium has three regional job markets, each with its own employment service and language: Dutch in Flanders, French in Wallonia, both in Brussels – and German in the east. The minimum wage is €2,234 a month (July 2026), students can work 650 hours a year at reduced contributions, and Wallonia lists 144 shortage occupations for 2026.

  1. Report your arrival: you are advised to report your presence to the municipality (gemeente / commune) where you live within 10 working days of arriving.
  2. Register as an EU worker at the municipality within 3 months of arrival, with your ID and your employment contract or an employer’s declaration (Annex 19bis). You first get a provisional certificate (Annex 8ter); after a police check of your address you are entered in the foreigners’ register and receive an EU residence card. If you do not register in time, you risk a €200 fine. Under federal rules registration is free, but municipalities charge administrative fees – in the City of Brussels €25 for the registration request and €30 for the card.
  3. National register number (rijksregisternummer / numéro de registre national): you get it when you are registered. You need it, for example, for your bank account, the employment services and health insurance.
  4. Health insurance: join a Belgian health insurance fund (ziekenfonds / mutualité).
  5. Tax: if you work in Belgium, you also pay income tax in Belgium.
  6. Bank account: to open one you need an ID document issued in Belgium (for example your residence card) and your national register number.

Problems with your rights as an EU worker? Your Europe Advice and SOLVIT help for free.


published: 2014-09-01
last modification: 2026-10-03

Common questions about job applications and interviews

Key figures: Eurostat (population on 1 January 2026; unemployment and employment rates 2025; minimum wages July 2026); for the United Kingdom – Office for National Statistics; for Liechtenstein – national statistics. Country information: EURES – Living and working conditions, public employment services and the official government websites listed under each country. Rules, thresholds and amounts can change – check the official sources before you move. Updated: October 2026.

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