Brussels at a Glance
Health Care and Work Permits for Brussels
Expats need a permit before they are greenlit for working in Brussels.
Health Insurance
Health insurance is compulsory for everyone in Belgium. If you work in Brussels and pay social security contributions, you will automatically be insured under the government scheme. However, you are responsible for registering with a health insurance fund. This can be a mutual insurance fund, a regional service of the Auxiliary Fund for Sickness and Invalidity Insurance, or the Health Insurance Fund of the Belgian National Railway Company Holding.
Most mutual insurance funds are associated with a certain profession or religion, but in practice they are open to everyone. More information on registering with a mutual insurance fund can be found on the Social Security Portal. The info is provided in French, Dutch, and German.
Insurance Coverage
Your insurance covers up to 75 % of your medical costs as long as prices conform to government-approved guidelines. Check with your doctors whether a) they are registered as econventioneerd/conventionné (i.e. following those guidelines) and b) whether the treatment they offer is on the standard nomenclature of medical dispensations (a list detailing all types of medical care to be reimbursed).
Please note that you are expected to pay for any visit to the doctor’s upfront. To receive reimbursements by your health insurance, you need to attach a sticker (provided by your fund) to the bill and send it in. Some people opt for additional private health insurance to cover the non-refundable share of medical costs.
Medical Facilities
You can register with any doctor of your choice. It is also possible to see a specialist without first consulting a general practitioner. The website Médecin Généraliste Bruxelles helps you search for a GP by area or language. The English-language helpline CHS can also provide you with details of English-speaking doctors and medical advice.
Brussels’ 5 big public hospitals are united in the IRIS network. Three of them are university hospitals: the CHU Brugmann general hospital, the HUDERF children hospital, and the CHU Saint-Pierre hospital for cardiology. The Institut Jules Bordet is Belgium’s only cancer clinic, and the Hospital Iris South is another general hospital. In addition, there are several private clinics in Brussels. They are not necessarily better, but often specialize in specific illnesses.
Pharmacies are open during normal opening hours, but in every area there’s always one pharmacy on 24/7h duty. To find an open pharmacy, consult the Service de garde. When collecting a medical prescription, the reimbursement rate is applied directly: You needn’t pay the full amount.
Work Permits
All non-EEA nationals who want to work in Brussels are legally obliged to obtain a permit. There are also transitory regulations for the new EU member states Romania and Bulgaria. The following types of work permit are available:
- A Permit: This one is only aimed at foreigners already working in Belgium on a B Permit. It is exclusively granted to people who have been working in Belgium for a minimum of 4 out of 10 years. The advantage of an A Permit is that its holders are no longer tied to a specific job and can change employers at will.
- B Permit: Your prospective employer needs to obtain this on your behalf before you start working in Belgium. It is valid for 1 year and commits you to the job for which it was originally granted. The employer must prove that the vacancy cannot be filled by anyone already working in Belgium.
- C Permit: People with a limited residency status, e.g. students or refugees, can apply for this permit if they want to take up temporary work. C Permits are not tied to a specific job or employer.
Obtaining a Work Permit
A B Permit will automatically be granted if your employer has received authorization to employ you. You need this work permit to apply for your visa. If you want to upgrade from a B Permit to an A Permit, you should contact the Brussels authority responsible for work permits: the Cellule permis de travail (work permits unit) of the Ministry of the Brussels Capital Region, Brussels North Station, Rue de Progrès 80, 1035 Brussels
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