From now on, all Belgian youths aged 15 and above can work as student employees, provided their tasks involve light, non-industrial work.
The new regulation was outlined in a decree published this week in the Belgian Official Gazette, according to the Federal Public Service for Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue.
It expands student employment opportunities to include all 15-year-olds, even those still attending school full-time.
The decree specifies that eligible tasks must be “non-industrial light work” requiring no specialised training and must not involve mechanical tools or equipment.
Examples of permitted roles include working as a supermarket shelf stacker, cloakroom attendant, or sales assistant in retail. Jobs in the care sector, such as serving, and clearing meals and drinks, are also allowed.
Other tasks may include logistical duties: receiving, packaging, and shipping orders, managing inventory, or performing light cleaning activities.
Cleaning tasks allowed under the decree are those with low physical demands, such as dusting, washing up, vacuuming or mopping small areas, emptying bins, washing windows at hand height, and lightly cleaning bathrooms.
Working hours are restricted. Students cannot work during school hours and are limited to a maximum of two hours of work on school days. On other days, they may work up to eight hours but never between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.
The federal government has already eased student work regulations in other ways, allowing young workers to work up to 650 hours annually with reduced social security contributions.
