Home to a diverse array of peoples, cultures, and languages, Brussels is a very multicultural city that is popular amongst expats. While it is a great place to live and work, the job market in Brussels can be quite competitive.
Between the fourth quarter of 2022 and the first quarter of 2023, the unemployment rate in Brussels is , although during the pandemic, the unemployment rate rose to 15.5%. Here are a few tips to help you find a job in Brussels.
Useful institutions in Brussels
Actiris
, or Office Bruxellois pour l'Emploi, helps jobseekers find work in Brussels. It organizes CV-writing workshops, helps people write cover letters, and teaches them how to apply for job vacancies. It can also put you in touch with employers, who enter their details in the Actiris database free of charge. As you can see, Actiris offers highly personalized services, so you can feel confident about finding a job. Their website is in French but can be accessed in Dutch or English. On top of this, Actiris offers brochures and videos in 22 different languages, and if you need help in person, they suggest you bring an interpreter to make the process easier.
SIEP
, or Service d'Information sur les Études & les Professions, has many valuable resources and offers career guidance to job seekers. There are eight centers around Brussels. You can either make an appointment or drop in for advice. They are open all year round, even during school vacations. Best of all, their services are free and anonymous. Their staff members help people from all walks of life with personalized services to ensure they have the best chances in the challenging world of work. SIEP offers career advice and assists with education, socio-professional integration, social protection, family and emotional life, political rights, and social organization. The SIEP website is in French.
Werkwinkel Brussels
Werkwinkel Brussels is a non-profit organization with three centers. You can approach them for career guidance services and use their offices. These are aimed at Dutch speakers or people wishing to learn the language. The Werkwinkel Brussel website is only available in Dutch. But you can also use the translation function to read things in French easily. And if you have any questions, you can always call or e-mail them to make an appointment. You can also send your questions via the website. Although face-to-face meetings are available, Werkwinkel Brussel will also schedule Zoom and Skype meetings if required.
Bruxelles FormationÂ
For French speakers, Bruxelles Formation is also a helpful organization to turn to. It aims to prepare you for working life, and to this end, it organizes many valuable workshops. On the Bruxelles Formation website, you'll have a good chance of finding training for the job you're interested in. If you're not sure which profession you'd like to work in, there's a useful section called "Promising professions" where you can browse several industries including food and catering, automotive, construction, education, management, horeca (hotels, restaurants and catering), technology and health services. If you find something you like in one of these categories, you can search for appropriate training and/or certification programs. They also have pages for workers and companies to connect employers and employees better.
VDAB
The is the Flemish equivalent of Actiris. The organization runs similar training courses to help job seekers find work and plan their careers.
The great thing about VDAB is that it doesn't only offer face-to-face training sessions. The organization also provides various online training courses, webinars, and workshops. This allows you to learn from home and at your own pace. If you don't have a secondary or higher education qualification, you can study for one free of charge with the VDAB. As a job-seeker, you'll keep your unemployment benefit for your studies. Moreover, you'll receive financial support for your tuition fees and learning materials. And if you need to move and/or require childcare to complete your studies, the VDAB will help you. Please note, however, that the VDAB website is only available in Dutch.
Forem
is the Walloon equivalent of Actiris and offers several valuable services for job seekers. For example, you can register as a jobseeker via their website. Not only will this help you maintain your social rights, but it will also enable you to use the various Forem services. Once registered on the website, you can search for jobs. Even better! You can also get help writing your CV and cover letter. You can then publish an online profile. On the Forem website, you'll find tons of articles to read. These will help you on topics such as "How to ace a job interview" or further advice on how to find a job. They work with several employers who may take notice of your profile and offer an interview. Alternatively, you can take advantage of the many other avenues available for job hunting. You can also consult information on various companies and professions on this site. If you're unsure which path to take, you can take their online test to see what suits you. From there, you can register for training courses and internships.
Temporary work in Brussels
As many jobs in Brussels require knowledge of either French or Dutch (or both), individuals who have just moved to the city may want to look into a temporary contract before finding their dream job. There are lots of different agencies that work in Brussels, and these can help you to find a temporary contract. It is not uncommon for a temporary contract to turn into a permanent work contract. For more information on temporary work in Brussels, Federgon is a beneficial organization to turn to as they help job seekers develop their skills and enterprises to find qualified employees.
With over 200 employment agencies listed in Brussels, many specialize in specific job sectors.
Recruitment agencies and headhunters in Brussels
As in any other country, there are recruitment agencies in Belgium. And there are plenty of them in Brussels. This is normal, especially as it's an international city. Some of these agencies take advantage of the fact that it's an international city to focus specifically on expatriates. Whether you speak Dutch, French, English, or German, these recruitment agencies can be an asset in helping you with all the contracts you'll need to sign and any other documents you'll need to deal with. There are also headhunting firms in Brussels. However, these tend to help job seekers seeking management positions. So, if you're not qualified, contacting them would be a waste of time and not a good idea at all.
Online job platforms in Brussels
When looking for work in Brussels, many people use online job platforms. Among the most popular are Stepstone, Monster, and VDAB, which have the most listings.
JobsinBrussels, EurActiv, and EuroBrussels are the most popular job search websites for jobs aimed at expats.
LinkedIn is also an increasingly popular way to find a job in Brussels. Many active headhunters proactively contact potential candidates in Europe via their LinkedIn accounts. So, keeping your profile as up-to-date and attractive as possible is a good idea. You never know when the HR people at a big firm or the headhunters at your dream company will come across your profile.
Job fairs in Brussels
Over the year, Brussels hosts many job fairs. These help employers and job seekers to meet and better understand the job market in Brussels.
Actiris, for instance, organizes a one-week job fair each year, which many different businesses and enterprises attend.
The Brussels Enterprises Commerce and Industry (BECI) hosts numerous job fairs over the year for people looking to find work in Brussels. These Brussels Job Days, as they are called, focus on different sectors each time.
SIEP also organizes career information fairs each year.
Other ways to look for jobs in Brussels Â
One of the best ways to look for job opportunities is to use your social network. Some expatriates are lucky enough to settle in Brussels and not be alone; they have friends, family, or colleagues already established in the city.
In any case, don't underestimate the power of your social networks. You'd be surprised to find out about job vacancies before anyone else does. In some cases, you might even be offered a position without competition if you have the necessary qualifications!
You should also take a look around your local area. When you first arrive, walking around and familiarizing yourself with Brussels is always a good idea. While you're at it, keep an eye out for job advertisements hanging on company entrances. This is particularly interesting for jobs in the service sector.
Although not as commonly used as online job platforms, Brussels residents still use the newspaper to search for job vacancies. Spending a few euros a month to have the local paper delivered can, therefore, be well worth it if, in the end, you end up with a job you love. Among the best are Het Laatste Nieuws, De Standaard, La Libre and Le Soir.
Work in the European institutions
Brussels is home to a considerable expat community; many people work for European institutions.
To look at the listings for the European Commission, European Parliament, and more, EPSO - the European Personnel Service Office - is the body that selects staff for the different agencies and offices.
Work for the Belgian local authorities
If you are interested in working for the Belgian government and have the right profile, there are several places to look for work.
The Selor website helps recruit qualified personnel for government and federal organizations and regularly has job offers open.
For the Flemish government, Jobpunt Vlaanderen is where you will find jobs relating to the Flanders region of Belgium.
The Brussels-Wallonia Federation website also hosts job offers for individuals looking to work in Brussels or Wallonia.
Other sectors with jobs in demand in Brussels
If the above sectors don't interest you, many other jobs are available in Brussels. But these are only for highly qualified and specialized people, such as accountants, midwives, nurses, architects, teachers, technicians, and engineers. There are sectors where you'll find many other job opportunities, including real estate, finance, education, social services, public health, and international companies.
Work permits in Belgium
If you're an EU, EEA, or Switzerland citizen, you won't need to apply for a work visa. You can move to Brussels, apply for a job, and start working without problems. The same applies to anyone with an unlimited permanent residence permit.
Otherwise, you'll need to apply for the correct type of work permit to be legally employed. There are three types: "A", "B", and "C". Most highly skilled workers hold a "B" work permit. There is also the so-called blue card, reserved for highly skilled migrants, and the independent professional card. Some of these work permits have to be applied for before even entering Belgian soil, so if you haven't moved yet, it's imperative to get your paperwork sorted out before considering moving to Brussels. We have a whole article on work permits in Belgium; you can read it for more information on how to work legally in Brussels.
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