This year, Link2Europe celebrates its 15th anniversary of linking foreign talent to Belgian companies, and to add to the excitement, we are taking a look at the most requested profiles we’ve been recruiting throughout these years.

Link2Europe has been searching for professional and suitable candidates for the Belgian job market for 15 years and we are not done yet! From workers in logistics to international engineers and project managers for construction, Link2Europe has done it all! As the only Belgian company exclusively focused on international recruitment, we guarantee consistent and reliable support to job seekers all over the world. 

In this series we’ve already taken a look at a truck driver, metalworker, industrial seamstress, maintenance technician and carpenter and today we shine a light on the construction worker, a very important profile to keep the Belgian economy going. Why? Because 7% of all private employment in Belgium is created by construction companies and construction companies account for 17.4% of the total number of Belgian companies. So rest assured that if you want a job as a construction worker in Belgium, there is always a vacancy!

Satisfying that brick in the stomach

Driving around Belgium you’ll notice it quickly. The average Belgian loves to build houses and own his own place under the sun. So much so, that there is a Flemish saying that states ‘the Belgian has a brick in his stomach.’ Everywhere you go, there is a construction site nearby. But construction is much more than just placing one brick on top of the other. A construction site is a well-oiled machine where many professionals work together, finishing the job together. It requires a certain passion to keep up with the high demand and ever-changing technologies. And due to the great demand for construction projects, the need for skilled construction workers is always sky-high.

Silhouette: construction worker

In the Belgian construction industry day contracts are forbidden. Construction workers need to be employed for a minimum of 2 days. A workday can be anything going up to 9 hours a day with a weekly limit of either 38 or 40 hours, depending on the culture of the construction company you’re working for. A great thing about the industry, especially for foreign workers, is the mandatory holiday leave. During summer, all construction sites are put on halt for three weeks, giving you the chance to spend those weeks abroad with your family. In addition, Belgium recognizes 20 holidays and 12 extra recuperation days that are pre-determined. As an interim worker, you are not allowed to work on those days and your salary for these is paid in December.

A day in the life of a construction worker

The workday of a construction worker usually starts on the premises of the construction company, where the necessary materials are loaded up in the van, after which you drive to the construction site with your colleagues. Once arrived you do what’s expected, but if the weather is too bad to continue, a special arrangement is made. In Belgium, the rule is that you get paid 100% for the hours worked, and the rest of the hours scheduled, which were canceled due to bad weather, are paid at 50%.

Your income and the most common benefits

• The hourly rate is hard to put into numbers since it depends on many indicators such
• as the size and location of the company.
• 100 euro eco cheques per year. The period to qualify runs from 1 April to 31 March.
• Overtime max 180 hrs, paid at 150%.
• Meal vouchers.
• The necessary working clothes and washing-up opportunities.

Skills of a successful construction worker:

• Some experience in the construction of buildings, roofs, roads, bridges, railroads…
• Basic English language skills.
• Good physical condition.
• Not afraid of heights.
• Drivers license B is an advantage.
• VCA certification is an advantage.

Ready, set….work!

At Link2Europe we have vacancies in all construction profiles, ranging from placements in very large international Construction companies to small and medium-sized companies. Together, we look at which available position and company atmosphere are best for you. That’s why many of our temporary placements lead to full contracts in which you will no longer work for us but for the Belgian company itself for an indefinite amount of time. Both your contract with us and your derivative contract with your new employer will be within the Belgian regulations to make sure that you enjoy all the benefits the Belgian Social Security has to offer. Exited? Send us your CV today or check out the current job offers!