Working Hours in Belgium

The legal working week and day in Belgium, how overtime is paid, which days are the weekend, normal office hours and the paid leave you are owed.

Working week 38 hours Working day 8 hours Overtime pay 1.5× Weekend days Sat–Sun Business hours 9am–5pm Annual leave 20 days

Working week in Belgium

38 hours

The legal working week is 38 hours on average. Some sectors work 40 hours and get extra days off to bring the average back to 38.

Working day in Belgium

8 hours

The normal limit is 8 hours a day, which work rules can raise to 9 or 10, with 11 hours’ rest between days.

Overtime pay in Belgium

1.5×

Overtime is paid at 50% extra, and 100% on Sundays and public holidays, unless it is one of the voluntary overtime hours the law allows each year without a premium.

Weekend days in Belgium

Sat–Sun

Saturday and Sunday are the weekend. Sunday is the legal rest day; most shops close on Sundays outside tourist areas.

Business hours in Belgium

9am–5pm

Offices usually work 8:30am or 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Annual leave in Belgium

20 days

Full-time employees get 20 days of paid holiday on a five-day week, based on the time worked in the previous year, with extra holiday pay on top of the normal salary.

Checked 24 October 2026 against national labour laws and government sites. Laws change and this is a summary, not legal advice; check with the authority that applies to you.

Working days in Belgium 2026

Business days and working hours by month, after weekends and holidays.

Minimum wage in Belgium

The hourly and monthly minimum, in local money and US dollars.

Belgian public holidays 2026

Every holiday with its date and long weekends.