Living and Working in Belgium

Porto, October 2013

Jill Delombaerde, Euresadviser Kortrijk, Belgium

Annelies Thomas, Euresadviser Brugge, Belgium

Michele Op ‘t Eynde, Euresadviser Lanaken, Belgium

eures@vdab.be

Overview of presentation

• Belgium : facts and figures about labour market, social security, taxes,…

• Where and how to look for a job in Belgium ?

• Points of interest for you

Belgium…

the of Europe

Airports & flights

• Brussels airport int.: TAP and Brussels airlines fly Porto 2x a day and Lisbon 5x a day.

• Charleroi airport (Brussels South): Ryanair flies Porto once a day and Faro every day except on Mondays.

• Easy to go back or to visit other countries

Belgium: Some Facts

• Surface: 32.545 km2 ( Portugal = P: 91.982 km²), 300 km to drive through

• Kingdom• Population: 10.879.159 inhabitants ( P =

10.642.841) • Population density : 341,1/km² ( P = 116,4/km² ) • A multicultural society (> 8% of residents are

foreign nationals)• Brussels is the capital: officially recognised as the

capital of Europe and the home of the key political and decision-making institutions of the EU

• English is working language in IT-sector, big companies, … especially in Brussels

MAIN TOWNS

Typical Belgian

Unemployment Rates *

• E.U.: 10,40% • Belgium: 8,60%• Brussels Region: 17,50% • Flanders: 4,3%• Wallonia: 10,1%

• % of active population

Source: Trends (July 2013) en WSE (April 2012)

The Belgian Labour Market

• Most relevant sectors Services 72 % Industry and construction 26,3%

• Major (exporting) industries Chemical sector Car assembly Metallurgical industry

• Engineersarchitecture, electricity, electronics, mechanics, electromechanics, chemistry, synthetic materials, safety, biochemistry, alimentation

Shortages• Technical functions: electronics,

electromechanics, maintenance mechanics

• All engineer functions

• All nurses functions

• Construction sector: carpenters, plumbers, electricians, tower crane drivers, …

Our international approach• Mainly sector focussed events: engineering,

healthcare and ICT• Focus on matching: start from the vacancy• www.workinflanders.be: publish your CV

• Partnership with public ‘integration services’ Information on Dutch classes, health care, housing,

public transport, schools, … Personal guidance Even when you are still in Portugal onthaalbureau@vlaamsbrabant.be www.inburgering.be 0032 16 26 73 50

About your salary

• min. salaries: collective wage agreements• http://www.vacature.com/salariskompas• take into account : living costs , fringe benefits • Startsalaries for

Bachelor : gross € 1750 - € 2100/ month

net € 1229 - € 1433,75 / month Master : gross € 2000 - € 2600 / month

net € 1344,66 – 1627,26 / month

Be realistic!!

Net salary

Gross salary - 13.07 % (Social security contributions) ---------------= Taxable amount - Taxes ---------------= Net salary

On yearly basis: 13 months salary for 12 months of work

Social security • 13.07 % on gross salary• Covers:

Sickness insuranceOccupational accidentsUnemployment benefitsFamily benefitsLegal pensionProfessional diseases

Employer: formalities for affiliation, except for health insuranceDon’t forget your social security forms (S, P, U, F): more info

with the local Euresadviser

Income Taxes

• Scales vary on average between 40 and 50 % • Various reductions: taxs deduction for dependent

children, mortgage loan for house, pension savings• A declaration of all incomes of former year: before

end of June (in Dutch!)• Contact the local tax office for help• More information: official website:

www.belgium.be/en/taxes/income_tax

Some Characteristics

• Difference in contracts “labourers/workers” and “employees” !!

• Workweek = 38 h / construction 40 h• Regulation of annual vacation days

based on prestations of the previous year

4 weeks + 10 public holidays • Individual Professional Training in the

Company: attn: no working contract!

How and where to find vacancies for Belgium ?

• Public services : www.leforem.bewww.actiris.be www.vdab.be www.adg.be

• Eures : www.ec.europa.eu/eures • Press : www.standaard.be, www.vlan.be, www.lesoir.be,

www.lalibre.be, www.lameuse.be, www.lecho.be,, www.references.be

• Federation of temporary agencies : www.federgon.be

• Temp. work agencies: Randstad (www.insel.com/en), Accent Jobs for People, Actief Interim, Adecco, Ago Select, Daoust, Konvert Interim, Secretary Plus, Start People, Unique,…

Regional Employment Services

VDABwww.vdab.be

FOREMwww.leforem.be

ACTIRISwww.actiris.be

ADG www.adg.be

How and where to find vacancies for Flanders?

• www.workinflanders.beDrop your CV in the CV-box on this site Guide and presentation Living and

Working Google-translation of Flemish job offers

• Stand of Eures Flanders: hall …• Stands of Belgian employers: hall …

Vacancies on our Eures-stand: hall …

Vacancies for engineers, ICT and nurses:Belgian employers in Porto-Jan De Nul Group-Reditech Engineering-Willemen Group-Altran Technologies-Medical Etape

Belgian employers participating ‘on line’ at europeanjobdays.eu/Porto-Benaki-RF Technologies-JBF GE BVBA-DSP Valley

Vacancies for engineers and IT’ers in 2012

1. Software engineer: 5000

2. Helpdesk support engineer: 4000

3. Engineer electromechanics: 3400

4. Construction engineer: 3000

5. Projectmanager IT: 1600

6. Business analyst: 1500

7. IT analyst-developer: 1100

8. Engineer mechanics: 1000

9. Engineer electronics: 950

10. Engineer chemistry: 600

How to apply for vacancies in Belgium ?

•Motivation letter : maximum one page mention your willingness to

move mention if you can apply by

webcam

•CV : maximum two pages picture only if asked professionel experience in an anti-chronological

order mention in your contactdetails your country code

( phone and address )

mention the equivalence of your diploma (google “Naric” ) Europass – CV

Points of interest

• If you find a job in Belgium, contact your local Portugese Eures-adviser (SS-forms)

• Spouses will get full support from Eures and VDAB to find a job in flanders as well!

• U2: authorisation to continue receiving unemployment benefit while looking for a job in another EEA-country

• What is your engagement and the engagement of the employer?

Useful Linkshttp://www.actiris.be

http://www.adg.be

http://www.leforem.be

http://www.vdab.be

http://www.stepstone.be

http://www.emploi.lesoir.be

http://www.feb.be

http://www.references.be

http://www.career.be

http://www.belgium.be

http://www.diplomatie.behttp://

www.fiscus.fgov.be

http://www.socialsecurity.be

http://www.onem.be

http://www.brussel.irisnet.be

http://www.flanders.be

http://www.wallonie.be

http://www.dglive.be

http://www.eurobrussels.com

http://www.jobsinhubs.com

http://www.jobsinbrussels.com

http://www.brusselsjobs.com

http://www.workinflanders.be

Questions?

Thank you Dank U MerciDanke Grazie Gracias ObrigadoTack Dzięki