Seasonal floriculture jobs in Belgium: glasshouses, pot plants and seasons

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What does Belgian floriculture produce?

Belgium is known for pot azaleas, with the Ghent azalea holding a protected geographical indication, as well as tuberous begonias, bedding plants and many other pot plants. A large share of production is exported to neighbouring countries.

Businesses are often family-run and highly specialised, with modern glasshouses, rolling benches and automated potting lines. Seasonal workers step in where eyes and hands remain essential: cuttings, grading, finishing and order preparation.

Floriculture areas

The Ghent region, especially Lochristi, Destelbergen, Evergem and Wetteren, is the heart of Flemish floriculture, particularly for azaleas and begonias. The Antwerp Kempen and Limburg also have pot plant glasshouses, while Wallonia hosts more scattered growers.

Many growers sell through wholesalers and flower auctions in Belgium and the Netherlands, so order volumes depend on weather, holidays and export demand. Seasonal staff should expect busy weeks before Mother's Day, All Saints' Day and Christmas, and quieter periods in between.

The flower calendar

Bedding plants keep crews busy from February to May for the garden season. Azaleas sell mainly from September to Mother's Day, peaking before the year-end holidays. Begonia tubers are lifted in autumn, and poinsettias are prepared in November and December.

Everyday tasks

Seasonal workers take and stick cuttings, pot plants, space pots, pinch young plants, remove spent flowers and grade by size and bloom. They then load Danish trolleys bound for wholesalers. The work is meticulous and repetitive.

Access conditions for seasonal workers

Nationals of the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland can work freely in Belgium. An identity document and a bank account are enough; the employer files the Dimona declaration before each working day.

Floriculture and occasional status

Floriculture falls under joint committee 145, sub-committee 145.01. Businesses in the sector can therefore hire occasional workers, a flexible formula suited to students, employees on leave, pensioners and some jobseekers.

Non-EU nationals

A third-country worker must obtain a seasonal work authorisation from the competent region before departure. If the stay exceeds 90 days, the employer applies for a single work and residence permit, in line with the EU Seasonal Workers Directive.

The annual day cap

Since 1 July 2023 an occasional worker may work up to 100 days a year in horticulture, with one or several employers. The combined total with agriculture remains limited to 100 days, a rule extended to agency workers by the royal decree of 14 April 2026.

Pay and glasshouse conditions

Occasional horticultural workers receive at least the category one rate of their sub-sector. In floriculture this stood at 13.12 euros gross per hour on 1 January 2024, and 13.43 euros in category two, based on a 38-hour week, before indexation.

Deductions from pay

Occasional workers' social contributions are calculated on a legal flat daily amount rather than actual earnings. Withholding tax is 11.11 percent for a Belgian resident and 18.725 percent for a non-resident, according to information published for 2026.

A horticulture agreement allows part of the net wage to be paid in cash, capped at 65 euros per week for eight weeks a year. The worker signs a receipt in two copies, and the amount appears as an advance on the payslip.

Working environment

Glasshouses offer shelter from rain, but heat builds quickly in spring and summer. Potting and grading stations are usually worked standing at bench height. Hours are regular outside order peaks, when Saturday work is common.

Steps to land a job

Growers mainly recruit in January for bedding plants and in August for the azalea season. These steps apply to EU candidates; non-EU candidates depend on the authorisation requested by the employer.

1. Choose your period: spring for bedding plants, autumn and winter for azaleas.
2. Search VDAB for sierteelt, serremedewerker or potplanten.
3. Contact businesses in Lochristi, Destelbergen and Evergem.
4. Write a CV stressing care, speed and gardening experience.
5. Confirm status, sub-committee 145.01 and hourly wage.
6. Provide ID and IBAN for the Dimona declaration.
7. Keep track of your occasional days.

Pay and document benchmarks

The rates in this table come from the union wage scale for floriculture in January 2024. They should be increased by later indexation and any seniority, and serve as the minimum threshold for judging an offer.

Common mistakes to avoid

Floriculture is demanding on quality, and mistakes are costly for growers. For seasonal workers, a few administrative and practical precautions prevent the most frequent disappointments during a season.

• Working without Dimona or a contract, and so without accident cover.
• Ignoring plant hygiene rules, a source of glasshouse disease.
• Neglecting hydration on hot days under glass.
• Accepting pay below the category one rate.
• Paying an intermediary for a promised job or visa.

Is a horticulture diploma required?

No, most seasonal posts are open without qualifications. Horticultural training or garden centre experience does help in getting more skilled tasks, such as propagation or crop management, which are paid in a higher wage category.

Are allergies a problem?

Some plants and pollen can irritate skin or airways. Sensitive people should say so when hired and wear suitable gloves. Plant protection products may only be handled by trained staff, never by untrained seasonal workers.

When does floriculture hire most?

Two big peaks shape the year: spring, with bedding and garden plants from February to May, and autumn to winter, with azaleas and festive plants. Between these periods, needs drop sharply in most businesses.

Can floriculture be combined with other seasons?

Yes, a seasonal worker might move from bedding plants in spring to strawberries in summer and azaleas in autumn. The total of occasional days, however, remains capped at 100 per year across all horticultural and agricultural employers.