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Today companies favour CV with international experience and degrees gained abroad (see our section on Erasmus).

An experience abroad will allow you to:

• get a foreign degree as a complement to your training;
• get a professional and personal experience;
• discover another culture.

In order to help you to find a job for an experience abroad, we have selected a few organisations for each of the themes below.

You will find information on voluntary jobs or internship abroad in our other articles on the left column of this page.

Job Hunting in Belgium

Paid work seems to be the norm in the youth community nowadays in Belgium: according to studies, 90% of the students have a job and contracts alongside their degree studies.

For jobs, their networks (friends, aquintance, relatives) are more important, but students have also the possibility to join, during summer for example (but also during the school year), temping agencies (one out of three students is doing a job through a temping agency in Belgium).

• Randstad : Temping agency in order to find a job online. Large offer in Belgium, student jobs and temping. CV examples available.
• Adecco : Temping.
• T Service Interim : Temping agency focused on employment in Brussels.
• Monster : this website has got a student job section.

Do not forget the employment departement of Universities, High schools, available to students that are registered only.

Summer jobs and vacancies in bars, hotels, restaurant, catering

A few doors to knock at and ask for any vacancies:

• Vendors, sandwich shops, small shops
• Waiting staff in bars and restaurants
• Cleaning staff
• Admin staff

The margin of incomes is vast: the majority of students earn about 1500 euros/year, some get more than 2000 euros.

Useful links:

• Infor Jeunes Bruxelles : Reference website for youth information in Brussels (jobs, but also school orientation, social security, legal advice, accommodation...)
• Tremplin pour l'Emploi : Student job service set by the newspapers Libre Belgique and Dernière Heure, that list employment offers and internships.
  

The French National Employment Service (ANPE) and the Center of Information for Youths (CIDJ) have set up a website in 5 languages (German, English, French, Italian, Spanish) : EuroSummerJob [http://www.eurosummerjobs.com/] that provides more than 1000 summer jobs offers throughout Europe. Also visit: CIDJ in Belgium

Au Pair

Au pairs in Belgium can expect to earn at least 450€ per month.
You can find more information in our Au Pair article.

The student employment contract

The student employment contract (contrat d'occupation d'étudiant) is a work contract with a time-limit between a student and an employer, with the student getting a salary for his/her work. Making a formal student work contract is not mandatory (it is possible to sign a standard employee contract instead), however it allows to keep the quality of dependent person for the social security services, whatever is the level of benefits...

This type of contract is available from 15 years old for Belgians and citizens of the European Economic Area, if they follow an education degree in Belgium (secondary education, higher education or university), or part time education.

Foreign nationals of a non-member country of the EEA can get a student job, but under some conditions (expaecially regarding the work permit, see below).

Students that cannot sign up a student employment contract can always work under a standard work contract with a full time or part time status. A student may also work with a self-employed status.

More information on the CIDJ website.

Working holiday visa

Visa requirements are crucial to your trip planning.
This section is intended for reference only. We strongly recommend that you contact the embassy directly for the most up to date info.

In Belgium

A valid passport is required for everyone except EU Nationals who can use a valid ID card. For them, the resident permit card (carte de séjour) is not mandatory for stays for less than 3 months. But they will have to declare their residence to the local authorities or to the police office within a very short period (8 days in Belgium).

Non EU nationals will have to show a valid visa and a work permit if they want to work. A resident permit must be requested within the 8 days period.

Foreign national students coming from a country outside the European Economic Area (E.E.A.) and who want to work, must follow a full time course in Belgium and with a valid residence permit. Be careful: The foreign national student that comes to Belgium for the first time during summer holidays cannot work because he/she did not follow a full course previously. During the Christmas, Easter and summer term, foreign students can work without a work permit. For services outside the school holiday period, the C work permit is given to students living in Belgium that are registered in a scholar institution in Belgium for a full time degree, as long as their employment is not more than 20 hours a week and compatible with their studies.

Discount Cards

A youth card or student card can offer you a lot of advantages abroad and is a recognition of your status. Two international cards will give you discounts and are essential for those taking a gap year or going backpacking:

• ISIC card (International Student Identity Card): this is for any full-time student over 12 years old.
• IYTC (International Youth Travel Card): if you are not a student, but are under 26, then this card is for you. IYTC has become internationally recognised as an identity card in 50 countries.

What the Cards offer:

• Valuable discounts on air, travel, bus and ferry, transport and accomodation (gap year backpacking discounts).
• Access to over 33,000 discounts in over 100 countries.
• Reduced admission to museums, galleries and historic states.
• Access to student travel organisations in over 90 countries.
• 24 hour emergency, legal and medical help line services.
• Basic sickness and accident travel insurance.

You can apply directly online to get the cards (http://www.isiccard.com) or by asking your University or youth centers.

You will find information on voluntary jobs or internship abroad in our other articles on the left column of this page.