Pros and Cons of being an Expat in Belgium

MVG22 New member

4POSTS

8 years ago

Hi All,

I am currently living in India and working for a reputed organization. I have around 10+ years of work experience. Recently, I worked as a part-time freelancer to a Belgium start-up company through a middle company from India. However, the Belgium company now told that they are interested to hire me. Since it is a start-up, they told that it will incur lot of cost for them to hire me directly by sponsoring work VISA and instead they thought of bringing me through the Indian (middle) company like an expat. I am now trying to find out the advantages and disadvantages of living in Belgium as an expat and would like your help.

Regards,
MVG

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aneesh Belgium Expert

2002POSTS

8 years ago

So the working model will be like: Belgian company gives the work to an Indian company. You are an employee to the Indian company.

Even with this model, one of the two must be done:
1. The company (your Indian employer or Belgian beneficiary) gets a work permit for you
OR
2. You get a professional card.

For more info on these two, search for old threads in this forum or search official info available in Belgian government websites.

<quote>
>>I am now trying to find out the advantages and disadvantages of living in Belgium as an expat and would like your help ?
</quote>

I think the question is more centered on the advantages and disadvantages of being on an expat job contract. Firstly it will depend how your employer wants to handle this. If they want to employ you in their Belgian subsidiary or if they want to keep you in Indian payroll and pay you some allowances here. There is no much difference being on an expat contract compared to being on a local contract, except you will have no pension contribution here in Belgium if you are on the Indian payroll. You can use all social benefits thanks to the special treaty between India and Belgium. After 5 years of being on this, your company may have to start contributing to Belgian social security. Duration of your stay on an expat contract will be counted for permanent residency eligibility.

If you get a professional card, you can change employer. If you are on a work permit that is arranged by your employer and if you get a new job, the new employer must get a work permit for you or you get a professional card at that point of time.

Hope this helps.

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