Belgium · Jobs
Where to find jobs in Belgium — major job boards, in-demand sectors, and how to apply.
AI-drafted, editorially reviewed. Confirm specifics with the official authority.
Belgium has no single national employment service for job placement — the public services are regionalised, with VDAB covering Flanders, Le Forem covering Wallonia and Actiris covering Brussels. The practical consequence is that the door you use is decided by region rather than by nationality or profession, and a search that looks only at one of the three sees only part of the country. Immigration work rights are a separate track from job-search support: non-EU workers generally need the correct single-permit or other residence basis before starting, and regulated professions may require recognition or language evidence.
Job placement in Belgium is regional: VDAB serves Flanders, Le Forem serves Wallonia and Actiris serves Brussels. Immigration work rights remain separate from job-search support and depend on EU status or the relevant permit route.
- Do not use one national employment-service body for job placement; the public services are regionalised.
- Non-EU workers generally need the correct single-permit or other residence basis before starting work.
- Regulated professions may require separate recognition or language evidence.
- 1
Pick the regional service for where you will work
Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels each have their own public employment service, and there is no national one above them. Identify which region your target jobs are in and go to that service.
- 2
Search more than one region if you are flexible
Because the three services are separate, a candidate willing to work across regions has to search each of them. Checking only one narrows the market for no good reason.
- 3
Keep work rights on a separate track
Job-search support and the right to work are handled by different systems, so registering with a regional service does not settle your immigration position. Treat the two as parallel questions.
- 4
Identify the residence basis before starting
Non-EU workers generally need the correct single permit or another residence basis in place before employment begins. Which one applies depends on the role and your situation rather than on the region.
- 5
Expect language evidence in some professions
Regulated professions may require recognition of your qualifications and, in some cases, evidence of language ability. In a country with more than one official language, which language is expected depends on where the role sits.
- Region of your target jobs identified
- Matching regional employment service located
- Absence of a single national placement body understood
- Additional regions searched if you are geographically flexible
- Work rights kept separate from job-search registration
- Single permit or other residence basis identified
- Language evidence expectations checked for the profession
- Belgium.be — jobs and training
Official overview of regional employment services.
- VDAB
Flemish public employment service.
- Actiris
Brussels public employment service.
Frequently asked questions
Which Belgian employment service should I use?
The one for the region where the work is: VDAB for Flanders, Le Forem for Wallonia, Actiris for Brussels. There is no national placement body above them, so the region decides which door you use.
Does registering with a Belgian regional service give me the right to work?
No, those are separate systems. Job-search support sits with the regional services while work rights depend on your EU status or the relevant permit route, so both have to be handled.
Will I need to prove language ability in Belgium?
It can be required for regulated professions, alongside recognition of your qualifications. Which language is expected follows from where the role sits, since the country has more than one official language.
Government portals
- MyMinfin — FPS Finance — Tax return (Tax-on-web), tax documents and payment status.
- Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (KBO/BCE) — Public search of every registered Belgian company by number, name or address.
- FPS Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue — Employment contracts, working time, wages and workplace safety rules.