How to get started here as an English-only speaker with a BA?

3POSTS

15 years ago

Plans aren't set in stone yet, but my girlfriend and I are considering a permanent stay in Belgium. I live here now with her and her family. She's a Belgian national and masters student, but as an American I'm not sure yet where to start as far as getting a regular job and state insurance. I have two years experience in marketing and sales management, but since I've now just finished my bachelors, I'm more interested in a tutoring or local government job here.

Where should I begin?

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Melby Serial expat

362POSTS

15 years ago

Do you have any kind of actual residency here?

dlockwood2 Member

3POSTS

15 years ago

Officially no. I stay with my girlfriend and her family at a permanent address if that makes a difference, and ultimately my plan would be to do my Masters at UGent or KULeuven next fall, so in the meantime obviously it would make sense to save money and support myself here, granted if we remain serious about me relocating on a permanent basis.

Melby Serial expat

362POSTS

15 years ago

You can't work here without being a legal resident/having a work permit. Nor can you stay more than 3 months without having some sort of visa. Do you speak Dutch? You'll need to be proficient in the language spoken at the school you'd attend, and they give proficiency exams before entrance is fully accepted (though I'm curious why, if you're in Antwerpen, you aren't considering the university here?). Anyway, I don't see how you can legally stay here without being enrolled as a student and therefore having a student visa, unless you were potentially to try having your girlfriend sponsor you as reuniting with her, but since you're not engaged/married I'm not really sure how that would work out.

dlockwood2 Member

3POSTS

15 years ago

There are many English-language international masters programs that I've researched and applied for in the past year.

One example is this program at KULeuven that only requires proficiency in English:
onderwijsaanbod.kuleuven.be/opleidingen/e/SC_51016915.htm

We've looked at University of Antwerp's international masters in English, but I remember they didn't seem to offer what we were looking for. Besides that, my girlfriend goes to UGent.

From what I understand about the visas...
diplomatie.belgium.be/en/services/travel_to_belgium/visa_for_belgium/visa_needed/

"Your chosen criteria
Passport type... Non-biometric passport
Nationality... United States
Duration... Long, more than 90 days
Purpose... Cohabitation

Needed Visa
You don't need a visa for the given situation."

So it seems at least that, since I'm just a cohabitant with a Belgian national, I have a legal window during which I can look for work and apply for schools. (Let me know if I'm wrong tho)

winifredjowett Member

11POSTS

15 years ago

yeah, it's not easy. I am a student in Antwerpen University.
it's a english program though. job wise, i have no positive experience so far. I tried few job agencies. they all said they need dutch speaking staff.

hannahhadman Serial expat

951POSTS

15 years ago

Yeah im looking into a simular thing with working with childeren were about did you find this english courses as i might be able to find a course i can speak a bit of dutch and i am devolping that

winifredjowett Member

11POSTS

15 years ago

go to IOB in antwerp university.
i was working with children, indirectly though. my program was about children with special needs. i want to learn dutch too. alas, no time. IOB programs are very intensive. THINK TWICE

hannahhadman Serial expat

951POSTS

15 years ago

Well ideally i'm going to work on getting a job with children i had had a good amount of experience its just finding what i can do there with different laws etc

Melby Serial expat

362POSTS

15 years ago

#10

dlockwood2 wrote:
From what I understand about the visas...
diplomatie.belgium.be/en/services/travel_to_belgium/visa_for_belgium/visa_needed/

"Your chosen criteria
Passport type... Non-biometric passport
Nationality... United States
Duration... Long, more than 90 days
Purpose... Cohabitation

Needed Visa
You don't need a visa for the given situation."

So it seems at least that, since I'm just a cohabitant with a Belgian national, I have a legal window during which I can look for work and apply for schools. (Let me know if I'm wrong tho)

Have you read http://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/service … /index.jsp this page? Do you qualify under those things? You're fine if you do indeed fit their definition of a "stable relationship" and you submit the "declaration of statutory cohabitation" within 3 mos of arrival, etc. If you don't fit those things, then you're out of luck.

nzandbe Member

15POSTS

15 years ago

#11

maybe you need to look to brussels and one of the many english speaking businesses here. there are also a lot of associations that need staff who are prepared to work hard across a variety of tasks. they may not pay so well but you would get the start you're looking for.