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Living and Working in Belgium

Lisbon, April 2013

Charlotte Hoste, Eures Adviser Kortrijk (B)

eures@vdab.be

Overview of presentation

Ø  Belgium : facts and figures Ø Vision on international mobility Ø  Social security, taxes and salaries

in a nutschell Ø  How to look for a job in Belgium

and how to apply ? Ø  Points of interest for you

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Belgium…

the ♥ of Western Europe

Airports & flights

Ø Easy to go back to Portugal during weekends, holidays :

•  Brussels airport intl.: 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 everyday except on Mondays.

Ø Also easy to visit other countries

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Belgium: Some Facts Ø Surface: 32.545 km2 ( Portugal = P: 91.982 km²), 300

km to drive through Ø Kingdom Ø Population: 11.082.744 inhabitants ( P = 10781459) Ø Population density : 340,5/km² ( P = 116,9/km² ) Ø A multicultural society (> 8% of residents are foreign

nationals) Ø 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

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

Typical Belgian

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Belgium is a federal state divided into

3 Regions 3 Communities

The Flemish Region

The Brussels-Capital Region

The Walloon Region

The Flemish Community

The French Community

The German speaking Community

Belgium is a federal state divided into

3 Regions 3 Communities

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Most recent figures

Ø Tension indicator for Western-Flanders ( sept. 2012 ) : < 2 (=very tensed labour market )

•  Technical functions : electronics, electromechanics, maintenance mechanics

•  All engineer functions •  All nurses functions •  Construction sector : foremen, carpenters,

plumbers, electricians, tower crane drivers…

   

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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

Social Economic Council of Flanders 2008

•  Many structural shortages – Engineering and IT – Construction sector – Healthcare – Technical profiles

•  No longer available in Flanders •  Shortage on the labour market? The road

to ‘receiving area’ Flanders •  Concentric model, based on the Belgian

labour market situation

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Concentric model of VDAB

Ø   Screening and activating the known and unknown labour supply – Focus on vulnerable groups – Re-orientation and training

Ø Cooperation with other regions – Mixed interregional teams (FL – BRU – WAL) – Focus on job-placement in Flanders

Ø International mobility

Our international approach •  Only (mainly) sector focussed events :

Engineering, healthcare and ICT •  Focus on matching : we start from the vacancy •  www.workinflanders.be •  Partnership with public “integration services”

•  Information on Dutch classes, health care, housing, public transport, schools….

• Personal pathways • Even when you are still in Portugal : onthaalbureau@vlaamsbrabant.be 0032 16 26 73 50 www.inburgering.be

   

 

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Social security Ø 13.07 % on gross salary Ø Covers:

Sickness insurance Occupational accidents Unemployment benefits Family benefits Legal pension Professional diseases

Ø Belgium is known for its extensive safety net Ø The employer must complete the formalities for

affiliation, except for health insurance Ø Don’t forget your social security forms ( S, P, U, F )

Income Taxes

Ø Tax rates vary by tax brackets from 25 % up to 50 %

Ø Everybody has a taxfree minimum on his or her salary

Ø Various reductions are possible : e.g. taks deduction for dependent children, mortgage loan for house, pension savings…

Ø A declaration of all incomes of the past year to be filled in before the end of June ( in Dutch ! ) :

You can contact the local tax office for help

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More into detail :

•  Practical guide on moving to Belgium:

•  Official website : http://www.belgium.be/en/taxes/income_tax/

About your salary

Ø  equal pay ( collective wage arrangements ) Ø  http://www.vacature.com/salariskompas Ø  take into account : living costs , fringe benefits Ø Startsalaries for

ü Bachelor : gross € 1750 - € 2100/ month net € 1229 - € 1433,75 / month

ü Master : gross € 2000 - € 2600 / month net € 1344,66 – 1627,26 / month

Be realistic !!

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What’s the amount of your net salary?

Ø On monthly basis : Gross salary - 13.07 % (Social security contributions) --------------- = Taxable amount - Taxes --------------- = Net salary Ø On yearly basis : 14 months salary for 12

months of work

Some Characteristics

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

Ø Workweek = 38 h Ø Regulation of annual vacation days

ü  based on prestations of the previous year ü  4 weeks + 10 public holidays

Ø IBO : interesting for Flemish employers so you might be offered it

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IBO Individual Professional Training in a

Company • The employer is the trainer •  During the training you have to follow a program => VDAB training contract • Attn. This is no labour/working contract!! All administration is done by VDAB = Public Employment Service

IBO • Duration of the training : from 4 to 26 weeks

• After the training => normal working contract with employer (permanent contract for at least the duration of the training period)

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Where to find vacancies for Belgium ?

Ø  Public services : www.leforem.be www.actiris.be www.vdab.be www.adg.be

Ø Eures : www.ec.europa.eu/eures Ø Press : www.lesoir.be,www.lalibre.be,

www.lameuse.be ,www.lecho.be, www.standaard.be, www.vlan.be, www.references.be

Ø  Federation of temporary agencies : www.federgon.be Ø  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,…

How to apply for vacancies in Belgium ?

Ø  Motivation letter : Maximum one page Mention your willingness to move Mention if you can apply by webcam

Ø CV : Maximum two pages Picture only if asked Professional 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

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Points of interest for you

Ø  If you find a job in Belgium, contact your local Portugese Eures-adviser

( important for your forms and our results ) Ø Spouses will get full support from Eures and

VDAB to find a job in flanders as well! Ø U2 : Authorisation to continue receiving

unemployment benefit while looking for a job in another country

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

Useful Links http://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.be http://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

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Thank you Dank U

Merci Danke Grazie Gracias Obrigado Tack Dzięki

Questions?