Salary in Belgium: minimum, average, unemployment rate

To find a job in Belgium, you need to analyze all the factors – requirements for specialists, location on the map of the country, working conditions. However, the determining incentive is the level of payment. It depends on the specialty, the shortage of specialists in the labor market. Therefore, before concluding an employment agreement, it is necessary to find out the salary in Belgium for a certain qualification. It will directly affect the allowable level of monthly expenses, taxes. Let’s look into these issues together.

[lwptoc]

Average salary

According to statistics, the average income of one employee is 2131 Euros per month. However, this value is gross and does not include taxes. They can also be up to 25%. Emigrants additionally need to take into account the mandatory costs of medical insurance, accommodation and meals. The last two indicators strongly depend on the place of work, as well as the salary in Belgium on this factor.

What to consider when analyzing a proposed salary:

• The total amount in hand, excluding taxes.
• Planned expenses. They depend on the number of dependents in your family – minor children, non-working spouse or spouse, parents.
• Travel expenses to work. They can be up to 5% of the total earnings.
• Other financial obligations. These include loans, tuition fees, advanced training courses.

With the correct calculation of the family budget, you can not only receive a good salary in Belgium, but also set aside part of the money for additional expenses – vacations, buying a car, luxury goods. It is important for emigrants to provide for their relatives who remain in their home country.

Important: the amount of wages is prescribed in the employment contract, it can only be changed after agreement between the two parties. Keep this in mind when reviewing the contents of the document.

Wages by profession in Belgium

The traditional superiority in terms of wages is held by programmers and IT specialists. They can receive, before taxes, from 4500 Euros per month. But it depends on the level of knowledge and practice of the employee, his specialization. Such specialists are in demand in the country, they can always find a place. An additional benefit is the ability to work remotely.

How much do specialists in Belgium earn:

• IT workers – from 4500 Euro per month.
• Medical employees – from 2800 Euro. The level strongly depends on the availability of a diploma and practice.
• Lawyers – from 2500 Euro.
• Middle managers – from 2800 Euro.
• Construction workers – from 3000 Euro.
• Drivers – from 2700 Euro.

Separately, it is necessary to consider workers in the service sector – hotels, restaurants, bars. There is no standard salary for them in Belgium, it all depends on the company’s policy, the need for additional income in the form of tips. An additional factor is the average number of customers and the status of the establishment. This must be taken into account when choosing an employer.

Important: for employment, regardless of the specialty, you need to take out medical insurance. The minimum sum insured is 30,000 Euros.

Which regions pay the most?

The capital of Belgium, Brussels, has a high income compared to other regions of the country. This figure is on average 14% higher if we take statistics for other cities. However, in Brussels, qualified specialists are more in demand, who can count on an income of 4,000 Euros per month. Workers of other, less qualified professions receive from 2500 Euros. This may not be enough to live in Brussels due to the high cost of rental housing, transport services.

If you want to consider the city at a lower cost, we recommend stopping at Leuven. This is a relatively large area of the country, ranking second in terms of wages in Belgium. Its peculiarity is that there are many higher educational institutions on the territory. Leuven is the unofficial student capital of the country.

In Antwerp and Dinard, construction workers, loaders, laborers and drivers are often required. Specialized specialists are also invited to the production of heavy and light industry. Their salary can reach 5000-6000 Euros. But here you also need to take into account the average size of the consumer basket.

Tip: in addition to paying for accommodation, food costs, analyze the convenience of transport – the road network, the location of railway stations, airports.

Unemployment rate in Belgium

Due to the global crisis, the unemployment rate in the country in 2023 rose to 5.7%. But it does not go beyond the average statistics of other EU countries. Despite this, the number of vacancies increased to 213 thousand in the second quarter of 2022. The reason is the outflow of labor to other EU countries. At the same time, the minimum wage in Belgium increased to 1813 Euros. This applies to citizens of the country and labor migrants. In the area of employee protection, Belgian law makes no distinction between them.

The main statistical indicators of unemployment:

• Retirement for men in Belgium is 65 years, for women – 60 years.
• The unemployment rate is 5.7%.
• The level of economic activity increased up to 70%.
• The living wage for 1 person is 1246 Euro.

For residents of the country, it is possible to apply for unemployment benefits. However, this is not possible for labor migrants, it is necessary to look for a new vacancy with an appropriate salary in Belgium. To do this, you can use the municipal labor exchange, study ads on specialized Belgian job search sites.

Important: after obtaining refugee status, you need permission from local authorities to apply for a job. The amount of financial assistance will be revised.

Average monthly expenses

To plan the budget, it is necessary to take into account three main items of expenditure – housing, food (clothes) and transport. They will directly influence the minimum wage in Belgium, which is right for you. These indicators differ for different regions and even cities of the country. Thus, the highest level of spending will be in Brussels, the optimal one – in Antwerp. For calculation, you can take the average statistics for the country.

Main items of monthly expenses:

• Rental of property. It ranges from 300 to 800 Euros per month, depending on the location, area.
• For 1 person, on average, you need 200-300 Euros.
• It is bought according to the season, up to 100 Euros per month.
• Other expenses – transport, medicine, recreation. They can take up to 30% of the budget.

It is important to leave a margin of 10% of the salary received. These funds can then be spent on a down payment to buy real estate on credit or a car, or on vacation. This approach will help you analyze future expenses in accordance with real income.