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Work permits – Wages and allowances

Wages are remuneration for work performed. In Belgium, an employee must have been informed, with certainty, of the amount of their wages or total salary before their employment is permitted to begin.

Authorities consider allowances related to an employment post to be part of the salary or conditions of employment. This is not the case if the employee is paid allowances to reimburse expenses incurred during the performance of their work; examples include travel, accommodation and food costs.

  • Benefits in kind are included as salary. These benefits in kind can be found on the payslips and on tax statement 281.10.

    A benefit in kind is a benefit granted by an employer or company to an employee or a managerial staff member: a company car, a residence that the employee can use, a loan at an advantageous rate, etc.

    Benefits in kind are considered to be occupational income. An employee or managerial staff member who receives such a benefit is therefore required to pay tax on the amount that corresponds to the value of the benefit in kind.
  • The Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) is not considered to be part of the wages. A temporary employee can receive a COLA. This is a tax-free reimbursement of additional living expenses that the temporary employment in Belgium entails.

Categories with a specific wage criterion (the highly skilled, managerial staff, professional athletes, artists and holders of a European Blue Card categories) have their own minimum wages.

For all other categories, the minimum wage is set by the relevant joint committee. You’ll find the minimum wage for each joint committee ((opens in new window)) on the website of the FPS Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue.

In the absence of a minimum wage that is set by a joint committee, the wage may never be lower than the ‘guaranteed average minimum monthly income’ (GAMMI). You’ll find the current GAMMI (in Dutch) (PDF file opens in new window) on the website of the National Labour Council (CNT-NAR).
This was updated on 1 March 2020:

  • at least 1,625.72 euro gross per month
  • if 21 ½ years + 6 months of service: 1,668.86 euro gross
  • if 22 years + 12 months of service: 1,688.03 euro gross.

Work permits for foreign workers

  • Who needs a work permit?
  • Categories and procedures
  • Maximum of 90 days and 90/180 days with a Schengen visa
  • Fixed term – More than 90 days
  • Indefinite term
  • Applying for a work permit by email
  • Apply online for a work permit via the special service
  • Application forms
  • Appealing a refusal or revocation
  • Wages and allowances

Contact

Address

Departement Werk en Sociale Economie
Team arbeidskaarten Brussel

Ellipsgebouw

Koning Albert II laan 35 (bus 20), 1030 Schaarbeek, België

Directions (opens in new window)
Telephone
02 553 43 00
E-mail
arbeidskaart@vlaanderen.be
More details
Address

Federale Overheidsdienst Binnenlandse Zaken
Dienst Vreemdelingenzaken

44 Kubus

Pachecolaan 44, 1000 Brussel, België

Directions (opens in new window)
Telephone
02 488 80 00
E-mail
infodesk@ibz.fgov.be
Website
https://dofi.ibz.be (opens in new window)
More details

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  • Work permits for foreign workers

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