Benefits of Moving to Belgium and Brussels

Brussels and Belgium are great places to come to live and work, whether you plan to stay a year or two or maybe longer. Here are some of the benefits:

Belgium has a lucrative job market

There is a great need for qualified professionals. This is especially so in Brussels, where most of the EU institutions are based. And there are many international companies in the city and the surrounding region. Flanders in the north of Brussels is also hosted by many internationally recognized companies.

Housing is less expensive

Parts of Brussels can be expensive, but taxes in Belgium are usually much lower than in Britain or London. There is also no shortage of affordable property to buy and rent.

Traveling is easier and cheaper than in the other countries

Although trains can be crowded, distances tend to be shorter. And train tickets are much cheaper than in Britain and are half the price all over Belgium on weekends.

The transport connection is excellent

Living and working in Belgium and especially in Brussels means you will never be far from the UK. The high-speed train service with the UK is now much faster and much easier than flying, you think you live in the south of England. It takes less than two hours from central Brussels to central London. It will not be more than a few hours from the Belgian North Sea coast, most of which have beaches with golden sand.

A more relaxed work culture

The work culture in Belgium is much more relaxed than in the UK and workers have more legal protections and social benefits such as a holiday, which is usually 5 or 6 weeks kind after the first year. There are also many public holidays.

Delicious food and drinks

Belgium also has some of the world's most famous foods that surprise even the French. There is also a huge list of the best Belgian bees to try!

Language is not really a problem

Most people in Belgium speak English fluently and in most large companies the working language is English. Belgium and especially Brussels have a large expat population and can be found in most cases in English. Learning French or Dutch (two main Belgian languages) however is a good idea to get the best out of the country and better integrate.

Overseas media

The Belgian media is far from overseas, especially television. Most Belgians have cable TV (which now carries Internet and telephone services). There are 40 TV channels available, most of them non-Belgian. And BBC1 and BBC2 are available throughout Belgium as usual.

Summary: Belgium is a good place whether you want to move for a long time or spend some time living and working in another EU country. Belgium is not quite perfect, but overall, I would say that the benefits outweigh any disadvantages.

I moved here two years ago and I am glad I made the decision. You deserve that and I highly recommend you consider Belgium as a place to go if you are considering moving abroad.