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

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: km 2 ( Portugal = P: km²), 300 km to drive through Kingdom Population: inhabitants ( P = ) 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 Engineers architecture, 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 publish your CVwww.workinflanders.be Partnership with public ‘integration services’  Information on Dutch classes, health care, housing, public transport, schools, …  Personal guidance  Even when you are still in Portugal   

About your salary min. salaries: collective wage agreements take into account : living costs, fringe benefits Startsalaries for Bachelor : gross € € 2100/ month net€ € 1433,75 / month Master : gross € € 2600 / month net€ 1344,66 – 1627,26 / month Be realistic!!

Net salary Gross salary % (Social security contributions) = Taxable amount - Taxes = Net salary On yearly basis: 13 months salary for 12 months of work

Social security % on gross salary Covers: Sickness insurance Occupational accidents Unemployment benefits Family benefits Legal pension Professional diseases Employer: formalities for affiliation, except for health insurance Don’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:

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 : Eures : Press : Federation of temporary agencies : Temp. work agencies: Randstad ( ), Accent Jobs for People, Actief Interim, Adecco, Ago Select, Daoust, Konvert Interim, Secretary Plus, Start People, Unique,…

Regional Employment Services VDAB FOREM ACTIRIS ADG

How and where to find vacancies for Flanders?  Drop 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 Software engineer: Helpdesk support engineer: Engineer electromechanics: Construction engineer: Projectmanager IT: Business analyst: IT analyst-developer: Engineer mechanics: Engineer electronics: 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 Links

Questions?

Thank you Dank U Merci DankeGrazie GraciasObrigado Tack Dzięki