Cross-border worker: I live in Belgium and work abroad

Are you resident in Belgium but work in another EU country and are therefore subject to social security abroad? Our advisers are available to help you understand your rights and obligations in relation to health care and social security.

The basic rule:

The country where you work is your reference country in terms of social security because contributions are usually (but not always!) deducted there directly from your salary.

Starting work abroad while living in Belgium? Belgium is no longer competent with regard to social security, and you will therefore have to follow some procedures and notably contact the relevant organisations.

What administrative steps should be taken regarding social security when you are a cross-border worker?

You can benefit from healthcare reimbursements in both countries, but for this, you must complete specific administrative procedures."

Here are the procedures you need to follow:

Register with the social security organisation of the country where you are working (in some countries, this registration is sometimes carried out automatically via the employer).

Once your registration has been confirmed, the organisation will provide you with a European convention document specific to cross-border workers. This is document S1 (LB1 if you work in Luxembourg).

With this document S1 (LB1 if you work in Luxembourg), you can re-register with a Belgian mutual insurance company under this new status as a cross-border worker.

Are you in the opposite situation? Discover the steps to take if you work in Belgium and reside abroad.