Money

Minimum wage and average wage

The median annual salary in Belgium is around €19,126 ($ 22,190). However, Belgium does not have a minimum wage and there is no mandatory minimum rate of pay for workers in Belgium.

Minimum salary

Belgium’s Minimum Wage is the lowest amount a worker can be legally paid for his work. Most countries have a nationwide minimum wage that all workers must be paid.

The Belgium minimum wage rate is €1,501.82 ($1747,25) a month for workers 21 years of age and over. For workers 21 and a half years of age, with six months of service is €1,541.67 ($1793,61) a month for workers; and €1,559.38 ($1814,21) a month for workers 22 years of age.

What is a good salary in Belgium?

Across Belgium, wages vary consistently. Although the cost of living in Belgium is relatively high, it is not as expensive as other European countries in Western Europe. Moreover, Belgium has one of the lowest gender pay gaps in Europe.

Average annual salary

When it comes to calculating the annual salary many factors come into play such as experience and education. Here are some examples of the average annual wages:

Occupation Average salary in euros/ USD:

• Nurse: €63,247 – $73,380
• Primary teacher: € 53.611 – $62,200
• Architect: €43,600 – $50,590
• Software Engineer: €37,655 – $43,690
• UX Designer: €36,460 – $42,300
• Web Developer: €31,926 – $37,040
• Product manager: €72,729 – $84,380

The most demanded jobs and their remuneration

The job market in Belgium is competitive and language skills are in high demand. Multilingual foreign workers or those that can speak at least one of the country’s official languages have more chances to find employment. 

Here is a list of the most demanded jobs in Belgium. Occupation Average salary in euros/USD:

• Accountants €36, 222 – $ 42,030
• administrative staff €43,200 – $ 50,120
• Architects €72,172  – $ 83,740
• Electricians €54.632 – $ 63,560
• engineers, technicians, and mechanics €36, 222 – $ 63,390
• IT staff €27,708 – $ 32,150

The work culture of Belgium

Business Culture in Belgium is characterized by business communication, business etiquette, business meeting etiquette, and work-life balance. 

1. Belgians generally enjoy an effective work-life balance. They work to live, rather than the other way around
2.  Belgian organizations are aware of the business case for work-life balance, and some of them are now introducing flexible time and related policies to ease the pressures.
3. Belgians, with their attachment to their local communities, often commute in to work from the countryside. Consequently, the morning and evening rush hours around Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Liege, etc, see enormous traffic jams.

Belgium Work Culture: Dress Code

It is normal to wear a jacket, the younger high-tech companies may happily tolerate an open-neck shirt and jeans. Colour has no particular significance.

The quality of clothing is of only marginal importance in a culture that shows relatively little class-consciousness.

Women, the younger generation, in particular, may wear trousers, particularly trouser suits. When in doubt about the dress code for a particular business event, it is advisable to be well dressed rather than under-dressed. Uniforms, except for hygiene workers and chefs, etc., are rarely worn.

If unsure of the dress code and what to wear, it is perfectly acceptable to ask someone from the company you are visiting. Belgium has one of the highest average annual rainfall in Western Europe.