If you do not have a residence permit
There are lots of collaborative platforms where you can take on short-term assignments. Think, for example, of apps for babysitting, food delivery, odd jobs, etc.
If you do not hold legal residence status in Belgium, you are not permitted to work as an employee or as a self-employed individual. However, if you work through one of the 95 recognised collaborative platforms, you are not considered by the authorities to be an employee or self-employed. This means that people who do not have the right to work in Belgium can still take on jobs in this way and be paid, so long as they do not earn more than €7,700 per year through these platforms.
To sign up, you sometimes only need to provide your date of birth and address. Your residence status is not checked. In practice, you can therefore take on jobs via these platforms and get paid, but be aware that this comes with significant risks.
An initial significant risk arises if you exceed the permitted earnings limit. As soon as you exceed €7,700 per year, these earnings are considered professional income. For example, should you earn €7,701 in a year, you would be considered as self-employed. If you do not have a professional card or have not declared this income, you will be considered an undeclared worker. This could result in heavy fines, along with having to pay any outstanding social security contributions.
It is therefore essential that you remain below the €7,700 threshold per calendar year, including all income earned across the various platforms. The Service des Impôts (Belgian tax authorities) do carry out checks, often after the end of the year in which you worked. This delay also carries a risk. While you might not realise that you have made a mistake, if you are charged with undeclared work two years down the line, you could end up owing a sizeable debt to the state, which you will have to repay.
A second risk is the total absence of protection under labour laws, since this does not constitute a traditional employment relationship. If you are underpaid or not paid correctly, if you have an accident at work, if you fall ill or if you are the victim of abuse, labour laws do not apply. You therefore cannot turn to the Inspection du Travail (labour inspectorate) or the Cour du Travail (labour court) like other workers. In such cases, it will be very difficult to get any compensation. Sadly, these situations do arise on a regular basis. If you still choose to work using this system, it is important to know that you are putting yourself in a very vulnerable position.
If you are seeking international protection
If you are applying for international protection (asylum) in Belgium, you are entitled to work from 4 months following your application for protection. You will then need a stamp on your registration certificate, giving you unlimited access to the labour market. This applies to jobs that involve an employment contract or a recognised employment relationship. This document does not entitle you to work as self-employed.
In principle, during the first 4 months, you can take on jobs via collaborative platforms or apps. However, you will be exposed to the same risks as described above. Be sure to read these carefully. Also, be aware that you will not be protected against workplace mistreatment.
Keep a close eye on how much you earn. By earning too much, you run the risk of facing significant consequences that may only become apparent years later. The authorities can issue fines and demand any unpaid social security contributions. These debts can stay with you for a long time, even after a positive decision on your application for protection. However, if you still decide to earn money through these platforms during the first 4 months after your application, consider then switching to a salaried position outside of these platforms.
