The number of people crossing the border from Belgium to one of its neighbouring countries for work has dropped sharply. A similar trend has been recorded in the opposite direction. The decline is likely due to the tax system becoming less favourable to cross-border workers.
Due to its location in the heart of Europe, Belgium has long attracted cross-border workers from Luxembourg, the Netherlands and France. Similarly, many Belgians have crossed the borders to work in these countries. However, traffic has slowed down in both directions, La Libre reported based on the latest statistics from the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (Inami/Riziv).
The number of people living in neighbouring countries but working in Belgium rose from almost 39,000 in 2007 (when the statistics began) to almost 53,000 workers in 2023. However, this steady growth has now come to a halt. In 2024, the share of incoming cross-border workers saw an unprecedented decline, dropping to 51,500.
The majority come from France, but their numbers fell to around 39,000 last year. Dutch cross-border workers are the second most common but their numbers have been falling since 2022, as have cross-border commuters from Germany and Luxembourg.
The Belgian provinces attracting the most cross-border workers are Hainaut and Namur (French residents) and East Flanders (Dutch and French).
Belgians crossing borders
Many Belgian residents also work in neighbouring countries, but this number has also been falling in recent years. It reached 91,296 in 2019, before declining in subsequent years, hitting 86,000 last year.
Luxembourg still attracts just as many workers from Belgium (around 48,700), but the Netherlands has lost much of its appeal, with the number of Belgian workers here falling to 21,800.
The highest number of Belgians working abroad live in the Luxembourg province (some 38,000, almost all commuting to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg), followed by the Liège province (mainly to Luxembourg and Germany) and Limburg (almost all to the Netherlands).
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Belgians commuting abroad are covered by the social security system of the country where they are employed, while cross-border workers who come to work in Belgium are subject to Belgian social security.
The tax system becoming less favourable to cross-border workers is likely the reason for the drop in numbers. Remarkably, there are far more outgoing workers from Belgium than incoming employees (86,000 compared with 51,000).
Anick Perin, an international mobility consultant with HR services provider Securex, suggested this is a sign that Belgium is not sufficiently attractive, especially compared with Luxembourg and France. In this countries, tax systems are much more advantageous.