Belgium Allows 15-Year-Olds to Work as Job Students in Light Roles

A significant shift in Belgium's youth employment policy now permits 15-year-olds to enter the workforce as "job students." This royal decree, published in the State Gazette, opens doors for young individuals to gain work experience in "light, non-industrial" jobs, a move aimed at providing early exposure to the professional world without compromising their education.

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non-industrial work of a light nature

The decree clarifies the types of tasks suitable for this age group, focusing on roles that require minimal specific training and do not involve heavy machinery. Examples include assisting at reception desks, working as sales assistants in retail, serving food and drinks in the care sector, and performing light logistical duties like packing and shipping orders. Even light cleaning tasks, defined as those with low physical strain and requiring little force, are now permissible.

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tasks that do not require specific training and that are not performed with or on mechanical work equipment.

Crucially, the new regulations emphasize the balance between work and education. 15-year-olds are prohibited from working during school hours, with a maximum of two hours allowed on school days and eight hours on non-school days. Night work between 8 PM and 6 AM is also forbidden. This thoughtful approach, building on previous relaxations in student work regulations, aims to provide valuable work experience while safeguarding the primary focus on education and ensuring the well-being of young workers.

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light cleaning tasks: tasks that involve low physical strain, require little force and are short in duration including dusting, washing dishes, vacuuming or mopping small spaces, emptying trash cans, washing windows at hand height, light cleaning of sanitary facilities.