Works Agreement: Cross-Border Worker
WORK REGULATIONS I WORK AS A CROSS-BORDER WORKER
You are a cross-border worker if you live in Belgium but work in a neighboring country such as the Netherlands or Germany. Usually, you go to work every day, but once a week is also allowed.
As a cross-border worker, you receive:
- your health insurance;
- your pension;
- and your child benefits mainly in the country where you work.
- This means that your social rights are accrued not in Belgium, but in the country where you work.
Taxes
You pay taxes in the country where you work.
But there are tax treaties between countries, so you don’t have to pay double tax.
Social Security
You are socially insured in the country where you work.
That means you are entitled to, for example:
Pension
Health insurance
Unemployment benefit
Disability
You do not pay double social security contributions.
Health Insurance
You must take out health insurance in the country where you work.
With an S1 form, you can also receive medical care in your country of residence.
For example: you work in the Netherlands but can also see a doctor in Belgium with an S1 form.
Child Benefits and Family Contributions
Depending on where your children live and where you work, you receive child benefits from one country.
Sometimes there must be settlements between the countries.
Pension
You build up a pension in the country where you work.
If you have worked in multiple countries, you will later receive partial pensions from each country.