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Belgium EOR & PEO

Start hiring in Belgium

SIMPLE, COMPLIANT HIRING WITH HORIZONS EOR

Hire in Belgium

Horizons provides compliance solutions to ensure your business in Belgium operates in line with Belgian labor laws and tax regulations. Businesses benefit from hiring in, investing in, or job outsourcing to, Belgium in a range of industries, from customer service, to accounting services, to software development. We also process monthly payroll, and, as an Belgium Employer of Record, absorb all local employer liabilities. Partnering with our Belgium EOR is the quickest and most cost-effective way to enter the Belgian market.

Note, a Belgium Employer of Record is also known as a Belgium Professional Employer Organization (PEO).

Facts & Stats

EOR Platform

Hire in Belgium, and pay employees through our platform or app.

EOR Cost

Our Belgium EOR solution is the most affordable on the market.

Time-to-hire

Fast onboarding in Belgium, hire in as little as 24 hours.

Contracts

We draft labor contracts compliant with Belgium labor law.

Local Benefits

We administer all mandatory benefits and contributions in Belgium.

180+ Countries

It doesn’t stop with Belgium — we are an international EOR

stay compliant with Belgium labor laws

Employment Laws

Employment contracts in Belgium

Belgian employers are legally required to provide all employees with a formal contract of employment. All relevant details of the agreement should be included, such as maternity leave rights, sick leave, and salary/wage. All references to compensation should be in the local Euro currency.

By partnering with our Belgium Employer of Record, Horizons’ team of local experts can provide assistance for drafting strong employment contracts that are compliant with local regulations.

Fixed-term

Probationary period

Not permitted

Termination notice period

1 week – 18 weeks, depending on years of service

Severance

Only in cases where termination is unjustified

Indefinite

Probationary period

Not permitted

Termination notice period

1 week – 18 weeks, depending on years of service

Severance

Only in cases where termination is unjustified

Working hours in Belgium

Workers in Belgium can work for a maximum of 38 hours, beyond which employers need to pay overtime rates. Normal overtime is 1.5X normal pay, and Sunday or public holiday overtime is 2X normal pay.

Workers are also entitled to at least one 24-hour stretch of time off every week. Workers can also choose to work either 39 hours or 40 hours per week in exchange for six or twelve extra annual ret days respectively.

Public holidays in Belgium

Employees in Belgium are entitled to ten paid public holidays. The following is an expanded list of holidays, and some employees may not be entitled to all of them:

 

There are several nationally recognized public holidays in Albania. Many employees receive the following days as leave from work each year:

DateHoliday name
1 Jan, 2024 SaturdayNew Year’s day
2 Jan, 2024 SundayNew Year’s day
14 Mar, 2024 ThursdaySummer Day
22 Mar, 2024 FridayNevruz Day
29 Mar, 2024 FridayGood Friday (Catholic)
31 Mar, 2024 SundayEaster (Catholic)
26 Apr, 2024 FridayGood Friday (Orthodox)
28 Apr, 2024 SundayEaster (Orthodox)
1 May, 2024 WednesdayLabor Day
4 Jun, 2024 TuesdayBajram (Islamic)
28 Nov, 2024 ThursdayIndependence Day
29 Nov, 2024 FridayLiberation Day
25 Dec, 2024 WednesdayChristmas Day

There are also several holidays for regional or autonomous communities. Depending on where your employee is located, they may be entitled to additional days. This can be reviewed by our team and a detailed local holiday schedule for your employee will be shared as your hiring project begins.

Belgium vacation leave

Employees in Belgium are entitled to 20 days of paid vacation leave if they work five days per week. Some employers may choose to offer more days as part of their benefits packages. Vacation days do not carry into the next year if they are not used.

Belgium sick leave

Employees in Belgium are entitled to unlimited sick leave when they present a valid medical note. They are compensated for this leave, but the precise payments vary based on length of absence. For example, they receive 100% of pay for the first seven days, then 85.88% for the 8th to 14th day, and so on. Workers may be eligible for a government-funded invalidity benefit after more than one year of absence.

Parental leave in Belgium

Female employees in Belgium can take maternity leave of six weeks before childbirth, and a minimum of nine weeks after childbirth. They are entitled to compensation during maternity leave, but the exact amount decreases as they have more children.

Male employees are entitled to ten days of paternity leave, which can be taken within four months of their child being born. The first three days are covered at full pay, and the next seven days are compensated at a reduced rate.

Terminations and severance in Belgium

Navigating employee terminations and handling severance packages can be complicated for companies expanding overseas for the first time. Horizons’ Belgium EOR can mitigate risk for foreign companies and provide guidance through this process.

For terminations, the amount of notice that must be provided to employees varies depending on the length of employment. In most cases, probation periods are not allowed, and the minimum notice, for under three months of employment, is two weeks (or one for resignations). This increases gradually, up to 62 weeks after 21 years of employment. Beyond this, it increases by one week per year of employment.

Notice periods can be, and often are, given in the form of extra pay, so it may be sensible to set aside a fund for this purpose.

Taxation in Belgium

Income is taxed progressively in Belgium, with rates ranging from 25% to 50%, depending on earnings.

Additionally, both employers and employees are required to pay a percentage of gross income to social security funds, totaling 35% for employers and 13.07% for employees.

Health coverage in Belgium

Belgium has a nationalized healthcare system with high standards of care, so employers do not need to offer private health insurance.

hassle-free Belgium compensation & benefits

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation laws in Belgium

The legally regulated minimum wage in Belgium is €1,954.99
per month (as of 2024)

Minimum Wage Country Comparison Chart (Per month in USD)
Switzerland (Geneva) $4,000
Italy $2,255
Australia $1996
Algeria $156
Uzbekistan $22
Benefits management in Belgium

While Belgians do receive relatively generous state benefits, many employers still choose to offer things like company cars, holiday bonuses, and so on. Setting up a benefits system for your employees in Belgium is an important part of being an employer and expanding into the country. However, it can be difficult if you are not familiar with the country’s complex labor laws, languages, and administrative procedures.

Horizons can help you bypass this element of your Belgium expansion by offering benefit system outsourcing that can save you time and money. Our experts will advise you on the best course of action and take care of your benefit setup and management, helping you focus on the rest of your expansion.

Hire borderless talent with Horizons

Hire in Belgium in 24h without your own local entity.

With Horizons, you get quick service, transparent pricing, and expert support.

Frequently asked questions

Generally speaking, the terms “Belgium PEO” and Belgium EOR” are used interchangeably.

An EOR in Belgium can feasibly hire both local and foreign nationals to work in Belgium.

However, the ability of Horizons to sponsor your foreign national employee in Belgium may be limited due to visa quotas practiced in many countries.

Contact us with your requirements and our Global Mobility team with review the case and get back to you within 2 business days.

In most cases, Horizons’ Belgium EOR can hire & onboard your employee within 24 hours. The actual start date of the employee will depend on their notice period obligation to their previous employer as well as any relevant hiring rules in Belgium.

It is possible to get a work visa in Belgium. Horizons’ Global Mobility team is a dedicated team of work visa experts. They assess the details of each case to determine feasibility and costs before Horizons applies for the work visa on behalf of your employee. If the Global Mobility team determines that your case is feasible, the process is smooth and transparent. Visa spots in Belgium are limited, however—get started today to secure your employees’ visa spot.

What to expect when you connect with Horizons

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