Increasing number of job students working year round

More students in Belgium are making use of their special employment status to work in periods of the year other than the popular summer holidays, according to numbers provided by Federgon, the federal association of human resource professionals.

The third quarter of last year, which includes the summer vacation months, saw more than 404,800 students employed, compared to just over 398,000 one year earlier. In 2007, 99,000 were employed during the second quarter; in 2013 that number had risen to 204,000. The increase continues an upward trend following the economic crisis of 2009, which caused a temporary dip.

The regulations governing student jobs changed in 2012, allowing young people to work 50 days outside of the summer vacation period without losing their preferential tax and social security conditions. More are working at the end of June, Federgon said, as well as holidays at other times during term.