Unskilled jobs in Belgium for foreigners with visa sponsorship in 2024

Belgium as a destination for non-EU job seekers

Before examining what are the unskilled jobs in Belgium for foreigners, it is important to know the current situation of immigration in Belgium at the labor level. For this purpose, we will examine Eurostat statistics.

This graph compares the number of residence permits granted by the different countries of the European Union, the gray column indicates the total and the green column the permits granted only for work purposes. Belgium is one of the countries that granted the fewest residence permits in 2023 for work-related reasons. In addition, of the total number of permits granted by Belgium, only 11.61% were for work-related reasons, the majority were for family or other reasons. 

Since this percentage is low, it would be appropriate to examine the evolution of the number of residence permits granted by Belgium and the reasons in recent years, the following graph allows us to see this more clearly.

The number of residence permits for work reasons has always been significantly lower than the number of permits granted for other reasons. Historically, permits are granted mainly for family reasons, then come other reasons, followed by educational reasons and finally labor reasons. However, it is worth noting that although they are comparatively fewer than the others, the number of residence permits for work-related reasons has been steadily increasing since 2020. 

Although the panorama and the figures are not very encouraging, this does not mean that it is impossible to work in Belgium. If you are well aware of the requirements necessary to obtain a residence and work permit and you meet all of them, it is very likely that your application for residence and work will be accepted. In addition, there are many companies that are willing to help you in this process.

Keep in mind as well, that although it may seem difficult, working in Belgium offers many advantages, here are some of them.

Features

Competitive wage

Belgium offers relatively high wages, even for unskilled jobs. Although wage levels vary by region and sector, the minimum wage in Belgium is competitive compared to many other EU countries.

Robust labor rights

Belgium has an advanced social protection system and employees are entitled to multiple benefits such as paid vacation, severance pay, sick leave, unemployment benefits and much more.

Ease of travel throughout Europe

As part of the Schengen zone, foreigners living and working in Belgium have the advantage of being able to travel freely throughout Europe.

Prospect of permanent residence

For non-EU foreigners working in Belgium for several years, there is the possibility to apply for permanent residence.

Popular professions for unskilled workers

Belgium's diverse job market caters to both skilled and unskilled workers. Here are some of the most popular professions for unskilled workers:

Cashier

This person is in charge of handling payments in stores, supermarkets or commercial establishments. But this position is not always limited to this, in many occasions these employees can also help customers with questions and perform other basic tasks.

Food service worker

This area includes roles such as waiter, kitchen assistant or dishwasher. These are generally low-skilled positions and are often in high demand at certain times of the year.

Retail salesperson

These employees work in retail stores, helping customers find products, answering their questions and performing many basic tasks within the stores. They are often also in charge of stock and product presentation.

Caregiver

Assists elderly or disabled people in their daily lives, helping them with tasks such as personal care, feeding, mobility, and taking and monitoring medication.

Nanny

A person in charge of taking care of children, their work includes supervising the children, playing with them, preparing their meals, and sometimes helping them with homework.

Factory worker

Production workers operate in an industrial environment, usually on assembly or production lines. Production workers may be responsible for one or more phases of production by performing multiple tasks such as packaging, assembly, manufacturing, preparation or inspection.

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Companies offering visa sponsorship

We have come to a section that you were most likely waiting for, here we will look at where to find unskilled jobs with visa sponsorship in Belgium. At this point, it is important to understand what exactly a sponsored visa job offer means. This refers to job offers where the employer in Belgium is responsible for the visa application process. It is the employer who does the hard work by processing the documents and submitting them to the Belgian government for approval.

Many companies can help you process the visa and sometimes this is mentioned directly in the job offer. However, this is not always the case, some employers may be willing to take care of visa arrangements even if it is not mentioned in the job offer, it is a matter of asking them about this at the right time during the recruitment process. 

In general, larger companies with well-equipped human resources departments are more likely to be willing to help with visa procedures. In addition, these companies hiring many employees are usually aware of the necessary procedures. Here are some of these companies:

Picard Belgique

is a French company specialized in the retail sale of frozen food products. It is present in Belgium and offers unskilled positions in various positions related to customer service or as assistant store manager for example.

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DHL

is a global logistics and transportation company specializing in international shipping and logistics solutions. It is part of the Deutsche Post DHL Group and has a strong presence in Belgium. It generally offers unskilled positions such as warehouse operators, parcel sorters, delivery drivers and loading and unloading personnel in its logistics centers.

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Manhattn's Burgers

Manhattn's Burgers is a chain of fast-food restaurants inspired by American cuisine specializing in gourmet burgers and has several locations in major cities in Belgium, such as Brussels and Antwerp. It generally offers unskilled positions such as cashiers, kitchen employees, waiters, and cleaning staff.

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Delhaize

is one of the leading supermarket chains in Belgium, belonging to the Ahold Delhaize group. It offers unskilled jobs such as cashiers, shelf stockers, cleaning staff, and warehouse workers.

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Korian

is the Clariane Group's main network of nursing homes. The Clariane Group has a total of 695 nursing homes in Europe and operates multiple nursing homes in Belgium. Korian offers positions as care assistants, cleaners, kitchen staff and maintenance workers in its facilities.

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Nature et Découvertes

This is a store specializing in organic, natural products and leisure and wellness items. The company has a few stores in major cities and generally hires unskilled staff for sales clerk and cashier positions.

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Intermarché

is a supermarket chain with a good number of stores in Belgium. It generally offers unskilled jobs such as cashiers, warehouse workers and cleaning staff.

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Carrefour

Carrefour is one of the world's leading supermarket chains with stores ranging from small local stores to large hypermarkets. It has an extensive network of supermarkets and department stores in Belgium and is often looking for cashiers, warehouse workers and cleaning staff.

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Mr.Bricolage

is a chain of stores specializing in DIY and gardening and sells tools, materials and household items. It has several stores in different cities in Belgium and is usually looking for salespeople, cashiers and warehouse staff.

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How to get a job as an unskilled worker in Belgium

To conclude, we will give you some useful tools and tips to make your search for jobs in Belgium with a sponsorship visa a success. When conducting your search you should consider the following points:

Research the job market

Before looking for a job, it is important to understand the job market in Belgium. Research growing industries, companies that hire foreigners and the most in-demand positions.

Consider opportunities in international companies

Research if your current employer has a presence in Belgium or if your plans to move to Belgium are in the medium term, search in your country for multinational companies in your field that have a presence in Belgium. Many multinationals have offices in Belgium and may have internal mobility policies that facilitate your move.

Networking

Working on your network is one of the most effective ways to find a job.  Search your network for friends, classmates or co-workers who are now living in Belgium, they may be able to give you useful advice or if they work in your area, they may be able to put you in touch with the right people. You can also use LinkedIn to get in touch with people in your industry, even if you don't know them. When writing to them, explain well who you are and why you are contacting them, some people will be happy to collaborate with you. Also try to expand your professional network, this can be done by joining professional organizations or attending events in your area of work.

Use local job portals

Although there are many job search portals with international opportunities many times companies post their offers on local Belgian portals such as monster.be, jobat.be. Register there and explore the opportunities.

Learn French or Dutch

Although English is widely used in many sectors, knowing the local languages can be a great advantage and open up more job opportunities.

Adapt your resume and cover letter

Make sure your resume and cover letter are adapted to European style. If you have experience working in other countries, highlight it.

Prepare for interviews

Research common practices for job interviews in Belgium. Be prepared to answer questions about your international experience and how you can contribute your skills and knowledge to the company.

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Salaries for unskilled workers in 2024

Low-skilled jobs are generally in line with the minimum wage, which stands at 2,029.88 euros gross per month. Belgium ranks as the fifth EU member state with a minimum wage higher than 2,000 euros gross per month, so even if these are unskilled jobs, the remuneration is comparatively higher than other European countries. Consequently, if you are looking for Belgian jobs for foreigners, keep in mind that the salary is a plus.

In addition, some positions may require some knowledge and experience and may offer somewhat higher salaries. Also, during certain periods in high season, some industries may have difficulty finding staff and it may then be possible to negotiate a higher salary.