Moving To Belgium

Employment

With so many digital, banking and media companies operating in Belgium there is a demand for skilled professionals. Brussels in particular has a large number of overseas residents and workers due partly to the many EU institutions based there, along with accompanying media and other services. Flanders to the north of Brussels also has large, international companies and institutions.

Housing

As with any major capital city, areas of Brussels can be expensive. Comparatively Belgium does enjoy lower rents and house prices than cities like London, Bath and Brighton. There are excellent properties to be found at affordable prices and many larger companies offer assistance in finding short term rental accommodation and when buying property in the country.

Transport

Living and working in Belgium and especially Brussels means that you’re never far from the UK. Eurostar train service to and from the UK is fast and can be more convenient than flying for those heading back to southern England. It takes under 2 hours to get from the centre of Brussels to the centre of London. There are direct flights to most major destinations. And no matter where you are in Belgium, you’re never more than a few hours away from Belgium’s North Sea coast which has some fantastic golden sandy beaches. Who knew?!?

Easy Commuting

Road and rail networks are excellent. Trains are busy but don’t suffer from the overcrowding highlighted in parts of the UK in recent years. In general commutes tend to be relatively short. Rail prices are also much cheaper than those in Britain.

Work/Life Culture

Overall the work/life balance and working culture is more relaxed in Belgium.  Employees enjoy greater legal protection, rights and social benefits such as vacation, which is usually a generous 5 or 6 weeks after the first year. The country also has more public holidays than the UK.

Food & Drink

Belgium has a world renown cuisine that rivals even the French. It draws on the cooking culture of near neighbours like France, Italy and Germany and some superb uniquely Belgian dishes to get your teeth into. There is also an enormous range of excellent Belgian beers to try!

Entertainment

Media in Belgium is very international, especially television. Digital entertainment streaming services are widely available and the country has excellent telecommunications infrastructure. It’s common for Belgians to watch TV in English and UK and US channels and services are hugely popular and widely available. Books, music, movies are all sold in English. The BBC, SKY and most digital UK channels can be picked up in Belgium.

Learning The Lingo

Most Belgians speak pretty good English. English is the working language of many larger companies and European institutions based in Brussels. There is a big expat population and many people find they can get by just speaking English. However, learning French or Dutch (the nation’s two main languages) is advisable for better integration and to really get a feel for Belgian culture.

Belgium is a great location whether you’re looking to emigrate long term or on a short work placement.

Armishaws provide removal and relocation services to all towns and regions within Belgium, including:

• Anderlecht
• Antwerp
• Brussels
• Bruges
• Charleloi
• Ghent
• Leuven
• Liege
• Namur
• Schaerbeek

And more (ask our team for details).

Brussels and Belgium are great locations to live, work and play, whether for a temporary, overseas work placement, longer term living or retirement.