What Changed in Belgium Since January 2025?
Belgium has introduced several important changes since January 2025 affecting pensions, employment and property purchases. Some measures took effect in 2025, while others were approved later and will apply in the coming years.
Here is what residents, workers and homebuyers need to know.
1. Belgium’s Pension Rules Are Changing
Belgium’s pension system has undergone further reform, with new rules approved by the federal parliament in May 2026 and published in the Belgian Official Gazette on June 1, 2026.
The legal retirement age remains unchanged under this reform. It is 66 for people born between 1960 and 1963 and 67 for those born in 1964 or later.
However, other pension rules are changing, particularly those governing early retirement and how pension benefits are calculated.
Several new measures are scheduled to take effect from 2027. These include changes to early retirement eligibility and a possible pension reduction for some people who retire early without meeting new work requirements.
The reform also changes certain rules for people already receiving pensions, including the indexation of higher pension payments.
Because the rules vary according to a person’s age, career and employment status, anyone planning to retire should check their individual situation through Belgium’s official pension service.
2. Monthly Payments for Birth Leave Benefits
Since January 1, 2025, benefits paid through Belgian health insurance funds for birth leave have been scheduled for monthly payment.
This change concerns eligible employees taking birth leave, such as a child’s other parent. The employer pays the normal salary for the first three days, while the health insurance fund pays the benefit for the remaining eligible days, up to a maximum of 17 days.
The health insurance fund generally begins payment within 30 days of receiving the application, followed by monthly payments. A transitional period was allowed until early February 2025 to help employers and health insurance funds implement the change.
This should not be confused with a general change to all maternity leave benefits. Different rules apply to maternity leave, depending on employment status and the type of benefit.
3. Higher Salary Requirements for Some Foreign Workers
Flanders introduced updated salary thresholds for certain categories of non-EU workers applying for work authorization from January 1, 2025.
The rules apply to specific groups, including highly skilled workers, managers, European Blue Card holders and certain employees transferred within the same company.
For example, the minimum gross annual salary for highly skilled workers in Flanders was set at 48,912 euros in 2025. The threshold for managers was higher, at 78,259 euros annually.
These are work-permit salary requirements, not a general pay rise for every foreign worker in Belgium. Other workers are subject to the applicable minimum wage rules for their sector, as well as the general minimum income requirement.
Salary thresholds can change over time, so employers and applicants should consult the Flemish government’s current guidance before submitting an application.
4. Lower Property Registration Tax in Flanders
One of the major changes for homebuyers took effect on January 1, 2025.
In Flanders, the reduced registration tax rate for purchasing a sole, owner-occupied home fell from 3% to 2%, provided the buyer meets the legal conditions.
The date of the official notarial deed determines which rate applies. This means that a purchase agreement signed in 2024 could still qualify for the 2% rate if the official deed was completed in 2025 and the other conditions were satisfied.
The reduction can lower the upfront cost of buying a home, but it does not apply automatically to every property purchase. Buyers must meet the relevant requirements, including those concerning ownership and registering their main residence.
This measure applies to Flanders. Property registration taxes differ between Belgium’s regions.
5. Higher Registration Tax for Professional Property Dealers
Flanders also changed the registration tax rules for professional property dealers.
The reduced rate for qualifying professional property purchases increased from 4% to 6% on January 1, 2025.
Unlike the reduced rate for people buying their own home, this arrangement applies to registered professional property dealers who meet the relevant conditions.
The change affects the cost of buying property for professional resale. It does not mean that every property investor or private seller automatically qualifies for the professional rate.
Anyone buying property for business purposes should check the applicable regional tax rules before completing a transaction.
What These Changes Mean for People Living in Belgium?
The changes introduced since 2025 affect different groups in different ways.
People approaching retirement may need to review how the new pension rules affect their plans. Eligible parents can benefit from a more regular payment schedule for birth leave benefits. Employers hiring certain non-EU workers must meet the applicable salary thresholds, while homebuyers and professional property dealers in Flanders face different registration tax rules.
The most important point is that Belgium does not have one set of rules for every situation. Pension and employment rules may depend on personal circumstances, while property registration taxes can differ by region.
Anyone affected by these changes should check the latest official guidance before making financial, employment or retirement decisions.
