1. 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

2. 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

3. Belgium… the of Europe

4. 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

5. Belgium: Some Facts Surface: 32.545 km 2 ( 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

6. MAIN TOWNS

7. Typical Belgian

8. 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)

9. 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

10. Shortages Technical functions: electronics, electromechanics, maintenance mechanics All engineer functions All nurses functions Construction sector: carpenters, plumbers, electricians, tower crane drivers, …

11. Our international approach Mainly sector focussed events: engineering, healthcare and ICT Focus on matching: start from the vacancy www.workinflanders.be: 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  onthaalbureau@vlaamsbrabant.be onthaalbureau@vlaamsbrabant.be  www.inburgering.be www.inburgering.be  0032 16 26 73 50

12. 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!!

13. 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

14. Social security 13.07 % 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

15. 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 www.belgium.be/en/taxes/income_tax

16. 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!

17. How and where to find vacancies for Belgium ? Public services : www.leforem.be www.leforem.be www.actiris.be www.vdab.be www.adg.be Eures : www.ec.europa.eu/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 www.standaard.bewww.vlan.be www.lesoir.bewww.lalibre.bewww.lameuse.bewww.lecho.be www.references.be Federation of temporary agencies : www.federgon.be 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,… www.insel.com/en

18. Regional Employment Services VDAB www.vdab.be FOREM www.leforem.be ACTIRIS www.actiris.be ADG www.adg.be

19. How and where to find vacancies for Flanders? www.workinflanders.be  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 …

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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?

25. 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

26. Questions?

27. Thank you Dank U Merci DankeGrazie GraciasObrigado Tack Dzięki