During the academic year, international students are entitled to work maximum 20 hours per week. They can work on a full time basis only during the summer holidays period (July-September). The money earned from student jobs should be considered as a supplementary source of income, not as main financial means for living in Belgium.
Students who are not a national from one of the countries of the EEA (European Economic Area, EU + Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) need a work permit C. Foreign students may have problems finding a job because a lot of them require language skills in French and Dutch. Employers may prefer a Belgian student over a foreign student.
Work permit
You need a work permit type C if you are not a national from one of the countries of the EEA (European Economic Area, EU + Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein)
How can I get a work permit C?
Depending on the community in which you take a job, you have to apply for this permit at the BGDA/Orbem for the Brussels Capital-region, FOREM for the French community or VDAB for the Flemish community.
Students living in Brussels: Go to the BGDA/Orbem Dienst - Vreemde Werknemers/Service for Foreign Employees - Anspachlaan 65, 1000 Brussels (02/505 16 50). The service is open from 8 am to 11:30 am.
Since they only deal with a certain amount of clients a day, we would advise you to go as early as possible.
Don't forget to take a number.
Ask for a work permit C
You will be given 3 orange papers:
- 1 has to be filled out by you
- 1 has to be filled out by the commune you live in
- 1 has to be filled out by the International Office of the Erasmushogeschool Brussels
When these three documents are filled out you have to give them in personally to the BGDA/Orbem.
The process takes 4 weeks. You can't start a job until you have your work permit.
The international students are entitled to work 20 hours a week during the academic year and full time during the summer holidays.
Don't forget to take along your identity card, a copy of your identity card and your student card!
Students living in Flanders: Go to the VDAB office in the municipality where you are registered.
How do I find a job?
There are several possibilities (job service of the school, employment offices of the governments and adverts in newspapers), but the best option for international students still is a registration in an "interim office". These offices make job selections for you and won't abuse your status as an international student.
English, French, Dutch: Randstad
French, Dutch: Adecco, Manpower, Unique
You can recognize these offices in the street by the job offerings behind the window screen: walk in and explain your situation; ask to be registered.
Trustworthy of course is the common job service of SOVEhB and the Vrije Universiteit Brussels. We maintain a database in which you can look for a job.
It is, however, available only in Dutch and the job offers for international students are rare. You can also look on the websites of the public employment offices: VDAB, BGDA/ORBEM or FOREM, but be aware of language difficulties.
However, be aware that employers do not take advantage of your situation as a foreign student.
