Living And Working In Belgium
Belgian Life
Around two thirds of our workforce is based in Belgium, which is home to our global headquarters along with our principal R&D and production facilities. That means our employees are based right in the heart of Europe, with easy access to such cities as Paris, London, Amsterdam, and, of course, Brussels.
With a strong culture and heritage of its own, Belgium is nevertheless a multi-cultural, multi-lingual, egalitarian society that's quick to welcome people from all over the world. French and Dutch (and, to a lesser extent, German) are the national languages, with English spoken widely in the international community. Although a relatively small country with a population of just 10.3 million people, Belgium consistently ranks high in quality-of-life ratings, thanks to its growing economy, low inflation, and world-class healthcare system.
Brussels is renowned throughout Europe for its restaurants (dining out is an important part of Belgian social life) and boasts some 100 museums, 70 theatres, 150 art galleries, 80 health clubs, and 2600 acres of parks and woods. The Grand Place, considered by many to be Europe's finest, is a UNESCO world heritage site, and the city is also notable for its many Art Nouveau buildings.
For more information, we'd recommend that you visit www.xpats.be - a useful site for anyone considering relocation to Belgium.
Getting Started
If you're thinking of moving overseas to work with us, we want to make sure we're doing whatever we can to smooth the transition for you. After all, if you don't feel at home, you won't be focused on doing your best work. Here's how we can help you make the move and get settled.
Permits and Visas
Within the EU, there's no need to sort out work permits or resident visas. However, if you're from outside the EU, there is some paperwork that needs doing. We can take care of the work permit, and that usually takes about a month. You'll need to process a residency visa in your home country, although this is usually quite straightforward and shouldn't take much more than a business week to arrange.
Making your move
The support we offer relocating employees will differ from case to case, but in general terms we can help with household removals and put you in touch with a relocation agency. They can advise you on accommodation and registration for utilities, which has to be done in conjunction with your local town hall. Of course, we might also be able to help with the travel costs to get you here in the first instance. Depending on your specific needs, and where you're travelling from, we may even be able to support you with temporary accommodation, and job search coaching for your partner.
Feeling fluent
French language training is offered as standard, and can be taken in evenings or at weekends. If there's an urgent need, we could schedule a week of intensive training. Like all languages, how much you get out depends on how much you put in.
