The cross -border work continues to draw regional dynamics in Belgium. If the departures to the Netherlands decide strongly, the flows to France and Luxembourg are progressing, as is the arrival of French workers in the south of the country.
According to INAMI data in mid 2024 (SD World analysis), around 86,000 Belgians work abroad, or 63 % of the total cross -border workers. This figure fell 6 % compared to 2019, while remaining stable compared to last year. Reversely, more than 51,500 foreign cross -border workers come to work in Belgium: this number decreases by 2 % over a year, but has been almost stable (+0.6 %) for five years. SD Worx, the main Belgian wage calculator, analyzed the figures demonstrating these trends.
Departures from Belgians to Luxembourg, Bus countries, France and Germany
In five years, the number of Belgian cross -border workers to the countries has dropped by almost 10,000 (−31 %), while flows to Luxembourg, France and Germany are growing, without compensating for this drop. Overall, the cross -border exodus fell 6 % since 2019.
Classification of destination countries (outgoing) :
- Luxembourg : 48 703 (57 %) – +9 % (+3 893)
- Bas -Bas: 21,804 (25 %)
- France : 8 618 (10 %) – +4 %
- Germany: 6,931 (8 %) – +5 %
Valérie Térstevens (SD World) explains that recruiting beyond borders can help fill the positions that are difficult to provide. Teleworking, for example, raises important tax and social issues, especially for a French employee working one day a week from France: he pays his taxes in France, which can allocate his subscription to Belgian social security and his wage conditions.
Arrival in Belgium: the rise of French cross -border workers
Inami has observed a stable number of incoming border workers in Belgium since 2019 (−0.6 %). However, the proportions vary according to nationalities: fall in Dutch (−12 %), German (−24 %) and Luxembourg (−11 %), while the French increase by 4 %. They represent 76 %of the entrants (39,252), followed by Dutch (10,917, 21 %), Germans (904, 2 %) and Luxembourg (508, 1 %).
Regional, around 15,000 French people work in Hainaut, 12,386 in Namur, 3,661 in the province of Luxembourg and 3,311 in Flanders -Western. The increase is marked in Namur (+10,850) and in Flanders – Oriental (+2,237) over five years. For Dutch people, Flanders – Oriental (7,018) and Antwerp (2,595) dominate, with very strong increase in Flanders – Oriental (+3,128) and a drop in Antwerp (−2 413). Limburg totaled 530 Dutch borders.
