I am an American finance professional who has a degree in accounting and was wondering how hard it is to find work in Belgium. I don't have an EU passport or anything, and was just wondering if anyone could assist me in moving to Belgium to find work. I really just want to move for the experience of working in international finance in Europe. I heard that work permits were relatively easier to get in Belgium than in the rest of Europe. If someone could offer any advice at all, it would be greatly appreciated!
Well, I don't know if I can really help you, but a good site is www.vdab.be This is the main job site we use and they also have it in English I believe. For any other information I advice you to write to your embassy.
It is true that work permits are more easy to get in Belgium than in, for instance, the UK. Since, you have a degree in accounting, I doubt that it will be very hard to find a job in Brussels. They have more of them than they have waffles salesmen
It used to be easier to get a job in Brussels then it is now, whilst before International companies with a seat in Brussels preferred to hire people from abroad, they now have discovered the belgian employee, who usually has a similar degree, already lives in the country and speaks a minimum of 3 languages..... If anything I would try and check out eurobrussels.com, that might be a good start. or contact Robert Half who are a recruitment agency that focussed on financial positions. If you like you can mail me your cv or send me a pm and I can forward it to a friend of mine who works there. (www.roberthalf.be) Good luck buddy!
I think the toughest part for any American looking to work in Europe, is the language barrier. I speak two languages, but I would need to add French, and/or Dutch(Flemmish) or German to have a real shot at working abroad.
Thanks for the awesome advice guys, I really appreciate it. Bergamister, once I get my CV ready this afternoon, I will be PMing you for help! Thanks very much for your help!
I don't know how similar Holland and Belgium are as far as permit rules go, but I am also an American with an accounting degree and getting a work permit is really difficult. First, I don't have enough education to qualify as a "highly skilled" worker - a bachelor's degree isn't enough, you need at least a masters but preferably more than that. Furthermore, you absolutely need to be functional in the native language of the country, and preferably more. I've been here a year, still don't have a work permit, and have finally decided to return home since I've run out of money. I would recommend trying to get your paperwork before you make the move. Don't believe the people who tell you that there are companies who will sponsor you for a work permit, either. I've yet to find one of those companies in the Netherlands - even the placement agencies require a work permit in hand before they'll help you. Anyway, that's my experience.
The other hard part is convincing my wife to move to Brussels. She likes Belgium, but no way wants to move permanently. ;(
Oh the people I have known who started of on a temporary shedule, but are still here after about 5 years and never want to go back. Good benefits, good standard of life, lots of holidays, etc No 24hour supermarkets, shops closed on sundays and some of the worst driving I know seem to be the downers.
Those things would apply to most of Belgium but Brussels is a little EU bubble that is completely different.
Holbrook, you added me to messenger, but have not yet contacted me, send me an email if you are still serious about coming to work in Belgium
As soon as I see you back on messenger, I will message you. I have been working on my CV lately, but as it is much different from the standard resume here in the States, it has taken me a while to get it going. Thanks for all the offers of help, as I am surely going to probably talk you to death about this move!
Try Grand Duchy of Luxembourg especially if you're in the finance business.You'll earn much more than working in Belgium ! That's what I did and I've never regreted it.
Really? Do you have any links or any additional info that you may be able to give me for that? How hard is it to get work there being an American with no EU passport?
There is a large english speaking community in Luxembourg and it is certainly not more difficult to find a job than in Brussels (even easier I would say). You earn at least 25% more than in Belgium but the cost of life is higher. I can give you two links to websites proposing jobs in Lux: http://english.monster.lu/ and http://www.lesjobs.lu/index.php?&lang=en Good luck !
I think you'll find a lot of informations here: /www.google.be/search?hl=fr&as_qdr=all&q=+%22american+community+in+Luxembourg%22&meta=lr%3Dlang_fr
There is no way for you to get legal papers to live and work in Belgium if you are not a citizen of the following countries. The citizens of the following countries can get residency in about 30-35 seconds: UE, Marocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, mostly all Africa, mostly all middle East, mostly all very poor countries, mostly uncivilized countries. Other than that, no way...and really know what I'm talking about.
They are not. He's just spewing right wing nonsense. It's fairly easy for a US citizen with the right degrees to work in Belgium.
Yes I was. Valuable people are stop at borders, the others have no problem. It is against my philosophy, even if we can understand the try on the long run... My american friends has 2 PhDs from an american university. If he wasn't marrying his belgian girlfriend, he was outside. Indeed, they marry for papers. My spanish investor friend invested $750,000 in a new company in Florida in 1994. He's still fighting for papers TODAY. But if you are a cuban gangster putting a foot on dry land, you are rsident no question ask... This is also against my philosophy... I might be out of this world though...