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Preparation before immigrating aboard.

Erik27

Good morning everyone.

I'm Erik and currently reside in South Africa. I am 27 years of age and unmarried.
I am employed as a financial service provider and consist of all necessary qualifications to work in the short-term and long-term insurance industry. I specialize in Short-term Insurance mainly.

I am longing for a better quality life abroad, my mind being focused on Brussels, Belgium.
I need info on the following two:

1) How available are vacancies in Brussels regarding my current career?

2) What would the average income be for my profession and experience (thumb suck figure) and would it be sufficient for a single male regarding living cost to live comfortably.

I know its more complex-ed than what I have put it out here above but I need to start somewhere. I am planning on visiting Brussels this year (2014) What would you suggest my process be regarding gaining more info while there and what I could do to experience the authentic feel of working over there while visiting?

Thanking you in advance.
Erik.

P.S: Kindly notify whether I should add additional info for in order to get better detailed responses. Thanks.

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Enny Frans

Hi Eric, welcome. I am new here in Belgium.

This is just my thinking, If you can speak good French and Dutch, i think that will be really useful for you to find job.

My fiance, is a Belgian, and he tried to find job since 3 months ago, and it wasn't that easy. Fortunately he finally find job and started his new job yesterday. I don't know exactly the opportunity for your field or background, but maybe better if you visit some job websites for Belgium so you will have some idea about the requirements the companies here looking for. Me, my self, i am starting my french lesson, because it's seems almost impossible to get good job or meet any company requirement in future without having good French or Dutch. That will be perfect if you can find job first and move on here.

The salary here for good full time job around 2,800 Euro until 3,800 Euro (based on the information i got from my fiance friends and family), depends on many things to be considered. But the numbers above is before tax deduction, etc. for example if the salary is 3,150 Euro, someone can ended with only 1,800 Euro or less after the deduction. And just for your Idea, in Brussel, i saw someone put an Add to rent a simple apartment in Brussel, and the cost is 500 Euro.

Anyway, every body is different, and people have different luck and opportunity. So, never try, never know, my friend :) so if you want to try, do it, because we never know, but you have to prepare your self for all the consequences ahead.

hannahhadman

Yeah language is normally key there are other jobs out there but better if you can speak them better. I would say try and get a transfer with your comapany and if not have some savings as things can get very difficult very quickly. Also in terms of full time job the above info about salary is correct apart from my fiance gets taxed 1000euros amonth 1600 on 2600 a month wages. This is because he is classed as a single man it will change for us once we are married, This is enough for us to pay 700 a month on our apartment and food and house bills

Erik27

Seems like the tax rates in Belgium are quite high. What public services are provided for tax paid?

hannahhadman

Schools good unemployment but you have to be working for a year public transport is cheap but not the best are some examples but cost of pivin is hihh in Belgium