More than 85,500 Belgians were working in one of the country’s four neighbouring states as of mid-2025, according to an analysis by HR services provider SD Worx based on figures from Belgium’s National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (RIZIV).
The number remains significantly higher than the 51,867 workers from neighbouring countries who were employed in Belgium.
"Cross-border employment remains important on both sides of the border," said Jo Lavrysen, a consultant at SD Worx. "Belgian employers find additional talent through cross-border workers, while many Belgians find opportunities across the border that better match their job, salary package or career ambitions."
While the number of Belgians working abroad is declining slightly, the number of French workers crossing the border to work in Belgium continues to rise.
According to Lavrysen, the figures show that border regions are increasingly operating as a single labour market, with employers and employees looking beyond national borders.
Almost 40,000 French workers
French nationals make up by far the largest group of cross-border workers employed in Belgium. Almost 40,000 French workers were registered in Belgium in mid-2025, accounting for 77% of all cross-border employees coming from neighbouring countries.
Their numbers have continued to increase compared with the previous year. By contrast, the number of Dutch workers fell to 10,536, while workers from Luxembourg declined to 448. The number of German workers rose slightly to 915.
French cross-border workers are concentrated mainly in Wallonia. The provinces of Hainaut and Namur together account for 71% of French workers crossing the border into Belgium. Hainaut, which shares a border with France, is the main destination, with 15,651 French workers, followed by Namur with 12,757.
They are followed by Luxembourg province (3,608), West Flanders (3,157) and East Flanders (2,356).
The strongest growth also was recorded in Hainaut, with 615 additional French workers, and Namur, with an increase of 371. Antwerp also recorded an increase of 135 French workers over the past year, bringing the total to 539. This is now higher than the figure for Brussels, which stands at 481.
Luxembourg remains top destination for Belgians
Despite the slight decline, Belgium has considerably more outgoing than incoming cross-border workers. More than 85,500 Belgians worked in one of the four neighbouring countries in mid-2025, compared with 86,056 a year earlier – a decrease of 0.6%.
Luxembourg remains by far the most popular destination. Some 48,601 Belgian residents work in the Grand Duchy, meaning more than half of all Belgian cross-border workers are employed there.
The Netherlands is the second-largest destination, with 21,593 Belgian workers, although this number is also declining. Germany and Luxembourg have likewise seen fewer Belgian workers than a year earlier.
With 38,026 cross-border workers, the province of Luxembourg has the highest number of residents working in a neighbouring country, followed by Liège (15,480) and Limburg (12,535). Antwerp and Hainaut follow with 7,163 and 6,946 respectively.
Warning over remote work
SD Worx is also warning employers about the social security implications of cross-border employment, particularly as remote and hybrid working become more common.
As long as an employee works exclusively in Belgium, the situation is generally straightforward. But working remotely from the employee's country of residence or taking on an additional job or self-employed activity there can change their social security status.
If a cross-border employee carries out at least 25% of their total employment activities in their country of residence, they are generally covered by that country's social security system. For employers, this can mean setting up a local payroll and facing additional administrative and financial costs.
An EU framework agreement provides an exception for certain employees who work remotely from their country of residence. However, remote work must account for less than 50% of their activities, there can be no additional professional activity in the country of residence, and the appropriate A1 certificate must be obtained on time.
The agreement does not remove the potential tax consequences of cross-border remote work.
"Employers need to know where their cross-border employees actually work," Lavrysen warned. "Extra vigilance is required for part-time cross-border workers, as they are more likely to carry out an additional activity in their country of residence."
