A Few Questions About Moving to Belgium

Last activity 13 May 2013 by hannahhadman

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inbootiesNew member12 May 2013 14:00:54

Well, firstly, I'm new here so hello everyone!
I'm not totally sure how this place works yet, so sorry if I post in the wrong place or something.

Actually, I guess there's only one big question...

I'm a British girl in a relationship with a man from Belgium. We've been together a while now, and would really like to live together there (near Brussels). I have visited the country many times, have a small group of friends there, and absolutely adore the place... But of course, it's not as simple as that.

I'd really like to know (realistically) how difficult it is to find work there (or how expensive it is to study).
I only have basic qualifications, but I do have administrative and customer service experience as well as various "credits" (memberships of prestigious societies and so on). I speak English (obviously) and near-fluent German- I'm currently learning Dutch (now at a conversational standard and working hard every day) and I'll be brushing up on my conversational French.

Will it really be as impossible a task as it seems? I'll have somewhere to stay, but I don't intend to "bum" off my partner (or the country), so I would not move without a guarantee of work.
I just don't want to waste my time if I can't even get a part-time warehouse job to start with.

Thank you all for reading!

tervurenerSerial expat12 May 2013 15:35:44

551

There is always work available, depends on if you are willing to do it. Titres-services is a system where you can earn money legally, you don't need fluency in French or Dutch, you could even build up a clientele of English speakers, but you'd also need to be flexible with hours and not mind getting hands dirty.

hannahhadmanSerial expat12 May 2013 16:19:34

951

Worset case I (like British girl liveing with her in my case flemmish bf) I was offered a cleaning job. Sadly this was a no go for me as im allgeric to lots of stuff. My dutch however is coming a lot slower. The fact you have german is probs a big help in this. You have administrative skills which is a plus. AS for studying it depends on what you want to do most university courses are under 1,000 euro a year.

inbootiesNew member12 May 2013 16:41:44

Thank you both for your replies!

If I had a degree I could be an Au Pair or an English tutor... It's really a shame that intelligence is measured in paper certificates nowadays!

It's good to know that there are jobs, though. I don't mind starting small, I just don't want to turn up there and be poor and lonely and totally reliant on my boyfriend. Hopefully if I can learn the languages, that will give me a bit of a boost!

Thanks again

tervurenerSerial expat12 May 2013 16:49:01

551

You can iron under titres-services! I wash and clean every day of my life and don't feel it's worst case, it's life.

inbootiesNew member12 May 2013 16:53:46

There's a business where I live where women come to do your ironing topless. They get paid loads, but I don't think I would go that far... Hahaha!
Sorry, that just reminded me.

Do you maybe have a link to a website or any more info.?

Thanks

hannahhadmanSerial expat12 May 2013 19:50:02

951

The Au Pair thing is what i did however rules in belgium are 24 or under and you can only do it for a year. The cleaning company was http://www.domestic-services.be/

tervurenerSerial expat12 May 2013 19:58:55

551

It's 26 for non EU nationals. Know several over than age who are EU nationals.

inbootiesNew member12 May 2013 20:06:59

I'm only 20, so that's good if I choose that route!
It would be great, but I'd want to live with my boyfriend as opposed to a host family. Still, it's something to keep in mind!

Thank you for the info and links again, guys

hannahhadmanSerial expat13 May 2013 08:55:32

#10

951

Theres a facebook group au pair in Belgium and they sometimes post people. However you will be able to get ur id card on the grounds your living with your bf and your from uk so its pretty stright forward. This was basically my process after my au pair year we moved in togeather

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