Last updated:
October 23, 2026
How an Employer of Record Works in Belgium
An Employer of Record (EOR) in Belgium provides foreign companies with a simple way to hire in the country without needing to establish a legal entity. The EOR hires employees in Belgium on behalf of other companies, dealing with onboarding, compliance, and more, while the foreign employer focuses on day-to-day operations.
Rivermate provides EOR services in Belgium, and our experts have extensive knowledge of the country, making hiring quick and straightforward.
Employer of Record Guide for Belgium
Your step-by-step guide to hiring, compliance, and payroll management in Belgium with EOR solutions.
Belgium labor market: At a glance
| The hiring market | |
|---|---|
| Greatest hiring activity: | Brussels is the main hiring hub. |
| Hiring timelines: | Up to a few weeks for local hires; 3–4 months for foreign hires. |
| In-demand sectors: | Logistics, technology, finance, pharmaceuticals. |
| Sectors with skills shortages: | Shortages vary by region. |
| The salary market | |
|---|---|
| Employer tax contributions: | 25-27% of gross salary. |
| Minimum wage: | €2,233.61 gross per month. |
| Average gross annual salary: | €48,912 |
| Income tax brackets: | Progressive rates from 25–50%. |
What it costs to hire an employee in Belgium
Belgium is one of the more expensive countries in Europe in terms of employment costs. The total costs are made up of salary, social security contributions, paid leave, bonuses, and several benefits that are typically expected by employees.
Salary
The salary in Belgium is quoted as a gross amount. The national minimum wage (RMMMG) changes frequently, and it is currently set at €2,233.61 per month.
The average gross monthly salary was €4,076 per month in 2022, but this is likely to be higher now. There may also be collective bargaining agreements in place that have an impact on the salary.
Belgium has a salary indexation system, where salaries are periodically adjusted based on changes caused by inflation. When they increase, and by how much, depends on the Joint Committee that applies.
Employer contributions
Social security contributions are quite high in Belgium, making up approximately 25–27% of gross salary. Employees contribute 13.07%.
Bonuses
In addition to the monthly salary, employers usually provide an end-of-year bonus and a holiday-related payment. Most Joint Committees require an end-of-year bonus, but the specific Joint Committee that applies decides the exact structure.
Meal vouchers are common. The standard amount provided is €10 per day, and the employer pays up to €8.91 of this. However, some employers may be able to pay the old €8 amount unless a sector agreement requires them to pay the higher amount.
Belgium has a good public healthcare system, but private health insurance remains a common benefit, even if it’s not required.
Because remote work is common, other benefits like internet allowances, computer equipment allowances, and car allowances are becoming more common, too.
Leave
Employees generally receive 20 days of annual leave, but this is a minimum requirement, and many employers offer more as a benefit. It’s common for employees to receive 25–27 days of annual leave. However, because statutory leave is earned in the previous calendar year, new hires might start with fewer days.
Sick leave is also provided. For white-collar employees on open-ended contracts, employers pay the full salary for the first 30 days, and then the employee's health mutual takes over. However, different rules apply to employees on shorter contracts and manual workers, who require at least a month of service. The employer’s share is also phased, and the health insurance fund comes into use before day 31.
Employer cost calculator
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Employment Cost Breakdown
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What hiring in Belgium really looks like
| Market condition | What an employer needs to know |
|---|---|
| Talent availability | Plenty of highly skilled talent available. |
| Employee expectations | Employees often expect more than a base salary, which could include allowances and meal vouchers. |
| Working culture | Remote work is very popular in Belgium, and employers will often provide remote workers with allowances. |
| Key employer challenge | Strong employee protections are in place in the country. |
Belgium’s workforce is highly skilled. English is widely used for international businesses, but French, Dutch, and German are also widely spoken.
One thing that often surprises foreign employers is the large cross-border workforce in the country. In Belgium, lots of people live in the country but work in neighboring countries like the Netherlands, while people from neighboring countries also work in Belgium.
Employees will often need A1 certificates for this, but it depends on their circumstances. Authorities are very strict, and fines apply per worker if the correct documentation is not in place.
Belgium has a strong benefits culture, where employees often expect more than just base salary. Additional benefits are common, such as allowances and meal vouchers, so they are important to consider when you want to attract and retain talent. Remote and hybrid work is common in Belgium, and many employees value the flexibility it offers.
Hiring foreign workers (meaning those who do not hold EU, EEA, or Swiss citizenship) is fairly common in Belgium, and especially so when it comes to management and specialist positions. However, the process is slower and more complex than hiring a local worker.
First, the legal employer has to apply for a joint work and residence permit, after which the employee applies for a type D visa. This process can take between three and four months, so you’ll need to plan for this.
Country-specific problem that employers must know about
One of the biggest issues that foreign employers have to get used to is the salary indexation system. This often comes as a bit of a surprise for foreign employers new to Belgium who are used to salary rises being controlled by other factors like performance reviews and negotiations.
In Belgium, however, salary rises are linked to inflation, and they are increased by the automatic indexation system.
Wage indexation is included in many collective agreements, so most employees in the country will be covered. However, it’s the applicable Joint Committee that determines the specific increase. As such, you might see labor costs rise even if you haven’t approved any pay rises because it’s out of your hands, so you’ll want to budget for it.
Another thing to be aware of is the “cent index,” which came into effect in June 2026. This has moderated automatic indexation for employees who have a full-time salary of over €4,000 per month.
Key compliance risks employers need to know about
No probation period
One surprise for employers new to Belgium is that there is no standard probation period, so you can’t just have a 90-day probation and then not continue the employment. However, since August 2026, for indefinite-term contracts starting on or after this date, both sides can end the contract with one week’s notice during the first six months. From 6–9 months of service, this increases to six weeks’ notice when dismissing, but an employee who resigns after six months gives three weeks’ notice.
Social security registration
Proper social security registration is important before employment begins. Authorities are very strict on this, and employees must have their social identification number (INSZ). This allows them to be added to payroll and receive their salary. Delays can slow the whole onboarding process.
Cross-border working
Cross-border working is quite common in Belgium, and many workers cross the border to other countries to work, or vice versa. This is something to pay close attention to if it affects your employment practices, especially the A1 certificate requirements in certain situations.
Limits on fixed-term contracts
Fixed-term contracts offer more flexibility, but limits apply. Successive fixed-term contracts are presumed to be open-ended unless they are justified. They are usually limited to a maximum of four fixed-term contracts in a row, each lasting at least three months, and with a total of no more than two years. The total can increase to three years with prior approval from the labor inspectorate, with each contract lasting at least six months.
There is a risk involved for employees who need work permits, because the permit is tied to the employment contract. If the contract and the permit expire together, the employee could be left without authorization to work.
How Rivermate can help you stay compliant when hiring in Belgium
Focus on your business and find the right talent while we take care of the rest. Because our local experts know the local labor laws in depth, we can take care of compliance issues while managing the employment relationship.
How an Employer of Record, like Rivermate can help with hiring and compliance in Belgium
An Employer of Record (EOR) hires on your behalf through its own local entity, so you can employ in Belgium without registering a company there. Rivermate handles the employment contract, payroll, employer contributions, statutory benefits and filings, and keeps them correct as the rules change.
Benefits of hiring employees through an EOR in Belgium
Many foreign employers are attracted to Belgium for its highly skilled workforce, multilingual talent pool, and strategic location, all of which make it a top destination. However, it has a complex employment framework that can be challenging for employers new to the country. With an EOR, you can access talent without navigating local compliance requirements on your own.
One of the major benefits of an EOR in Belgium is that it helps reduce compliance risks. Strict employment rules in the country, like mandatory social security registration before employment starts and no probation period, make it easy to make costly mistakes, especially as rules change. The local experts providing EOR services keep a close eye on changing regulations so you don’t have to.
Speed is another of the major benefits offered by an EOR. If you set up your own entity in Belgium, you could wait months before you can hire. With an EOR, you can start hiring in just a few weeks, which is ideal if you are still considering your expansion into Belgium. Starting by hiring a few employees via an EOR is a sensible way to test the market and get a better understanding of the local business conditions before making a larger long-term investment.
Issues like foreign hiring can be more complex, and the EOR can help arrange work permits and visas to manage the immigration process.
Beyond their knowledge of the law, local experts understand what employees expect, from benefits like private health insurance to the option to work remotely. As such, they know how to attract and retain the best talent in the country.
Ready to hire in Belgium?
Hiring in Belgium is not simply a case of finding the right candidate. At Rivermate, we make the process simple for foreign companies, managing everything from payroll to taxes so you can hire in the country with confidence.
Employ top talent in Belgium through our Employer of Record service
Book a call with our EOR experts to learn more about how we can help you in Belgium
Book a call with our EOR experts to learn more about how we can help you in Belgium.
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Frequently asked questions about EOR in Belgium
Sources:
https://boundlesshq.com/blog/running-payroll-in-belgium/
https://fin.belgium.be/en/private-individuals/tax-return/income/tax-rates
https://onestopcounter.workinginbelgium.be/en/fixed-term-single-permit.html
https://svb.nl/en/bbz-bdz/employer/in-which-country-is-your-employee-insured
https://www.socialsecurity.be/site_nl/employer/applics/belgianidpro/index.htm
https://www.teamed.global/country-hiring-guides/belgium/hiring-guide
https://www.forum-expat-management.com/posts/social-dumping-brazilian-chains
https://www.brusselstimes.com/2270923/more-and-more-french-residents-are-coming-to-work-in-belgium
https://accessfinancial.com/glossary/limosa-declaration/
https://brusselstimes.com/290411/vooruit-seeks-automatic-indexation-for-all-wages
https://www.dlapiper.com/insights/publications/bene-employment-newsflash/2024/bene-newsflash-1
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Written by
Lucas Botzen
Lucas Botzen is the Founder of Rivermate, a global employment platform that helps companies hire, employ, and manage talent internationally. Since founding Rivermate in December 2020, he has focused on building practical solutions that simplify international payroll, benefits, taxes, contracts, and employment compliance for remote teams. Before Rivermate, Lucas co-founded and co-directed Boloo, an e-learning and software company that helped entrepreneurs start and grow e-commerce businesses. He scaled Boloo to more than €2 million in annual revenue before successfully exiting the business in 2020. Lucas holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Innovation from Avans University of Applied Sciences. His background in entrepreneurship, technology, automation, and remote work continues to shape his approach to making global employment simpler and more human.
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Sebastien Wakim
Sébastien Wakim is CEO of Rivermate and has led the Hightekers group since 2024. An early Uber employee, he launched and scaled the company's operations across multiple MENA markets before holding senior leadership roles at OLX Group. He later co-founded Wisewell, a water-technology venture active in the US and GCC. He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and an MS in engineering from UC Berkeley.
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