Want to live and work in Belgium?

Belgium is densely populated. Most people live along the axis between Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Liège, and Charleroi. Flemish people make up about 60% of the population and speak Dutch (referred to as Flemish in everyday speech). Walloons are about 30% and speak French. The small German-speaking community in the east has its own linguistic rights.

More than 12% of residents are foreigners, with a strong presence of French, Dutch, Italian, Moroccan, Turkish, Romanian, and Congolese nationals. In Brussels, the proportion of foreigners reaches one third, with many EU officials, journalists, and diplomats.

English is spoken by a large portion of the population, especially in Brussels, the business sector, and among young people. But for long-term living, learning Dutch or French is very helpful. The choice depends on the region: in Flanders, Dutch; in Wallonia, French; in Brussels, both are useful.

The Belgian market has three clear pillars. In Brussels, EU institutions, NATO, and dozens of federations employ over 50,000 people, attracting professionals from across Europe. Lobbyists, legal consultancies, and NGOs orbit this ecosystem. English dominates in this circuit, even in an officially French- and Dutch-speaking country.

Antwerp is home to the second largest port in Europe and a huge chemical and petrochemical cluster, including BASF, Total, ExxonMobil, and Bayer. The pharmaceutical sector (UCB, Janssen, GSK) has factories and research centres in Flanders. Logistics and diamonds keep the city on the global trade map. Banks such as ING, KBC, and BNP Paribas Fortis dominate the financial sector.

The gross minimum wage stands at around 2,000 euros per month, among the highest in the European Union. Contracts typically include a 13th salary, meal vouchers, and generous leave. Labour laws are strict, with strong unions. Qualified foreigners access the market via the European Blue Card or regional permits (Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels each have their own rules).

Belgium's healthcare system is publicly financed and operationally mixed. Every legal resident must join a mutuelle (health fund, with several options: socialist, Christian, liberal, neutral). Contributions are deducted from salary, and the mutuelle reimburses a large portion of consultations, tests, and hospitalizations.

Patients choose their own family doctor and specialists without mandatory referrals. University hospitals in Leuven, Brussels, Liège, and Ghent are references for complex cases. Maternity, surgery, and oncology treatments are well covered. Most consultations cost between 25 and 40 euros, with partial reimbursement from the mutuelle.

Foreigners with a work or residence visa have full access from day one. Retired foreigners must prove their own coverage or join a mutuelle. There are also private supplementary plans for single-room hospitalization and dental treatments, which are still relatively affordable.

Belgium has a temperate oceanic climate. Summers are mild, rarely exceeding 30°C. Winters are cold but not extreme, with lows between minus 5 and 5°C and occasional snow across the country. The Ardennes, in the southeast, are colder and can see consistent snowfall in January and February.

Rainfall is constant, distributed throughout the year. There is no distinct dry season. Fully sunny days are rare, and overcast skies are the standard landscape. Those arriving from tropical climates often find the lack of light striking, especially in winter, when the sun sets around 4:30 p.m.

A waterproof coat, umbrella, and water-resistant boots are wardrobe staples. Homes have central heating (gas or electric) and double-glazed windows. Summer is considered short, and any sunny day becomes an occasion for parks, bar terraces, and cycling.

Belgium is an open economy heavily dependent on exports. The Port of Antwerp is the second largest in Europe by volume and serves as a gateway for Germany, France, and the Netherlands. Logistics, warehousing, and distribution employ hundreds of thousands.

The chemical and pharmaceutical industry is strong, with the presence of UCB, Solvay, GSK, Janssen, and Pfizer. Antwerp is still the world's largest center for rough diamond trade. The automotive industry has plants from Audi (Brussels), Volvo Trucks, and various auto parts manufacturers. Steel and metallurgy continue in Wallonia, although at a smaller scale than in the past.

Brussels concentrates services related to European institutions: consulting, law, lobbying, and international media. The financial sector has weight (KBC, BNP Paribas Fortis, ING Belgium). Technology is growing around Leuven, Ghent, and Brussels, with startups and university spin-offs.

Belgium is a small country with a long immigration history. Italians arrived in large numbers after World War II to work in the coal mines of Wallonia, and still form the largest community of European origin. Moroccans and Turks came in the 1960s and 1970s as industrial labour, and today have generations born in the country. French and Dutch nationals form a constant flow due to geographic proximity and shared languages.

Brussels is the European hub par excellence. As the seat of the EU and NATO, it draws thousands of international civil servants, lobbyists, and diplomats. The eastern neighbourhoods of the capital (Etterbeek, Schuman) concentrate this community. Antwerp has a strong Orthodox Jewish presence in the diamond district, alongside Indian and African communities. Charleroi and Liège inherited Italian, Spanish, and Maghrebi workers.

There is also a large Congolese community from the former colony, with a strong presence in Matonge (a neighbourhood of Ixelles). Poles, Romanians, and Bulgarians increased after EU expansion. Integration depends on learning French, Dutch, or German (the three official languages). Naturalisation requires five years of legal residence, language knowledge, and proven social integration.