Seasonal fruit and vegetable packing jobs in Belgium: grading, packing and conditions

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Packing: the link between field and supermarket

Once harvested, pears, apples, strawberries, tomatoes or leeks must be sorted by size and quality, then packed into crates, punnets or bags to the precise specifications of retailers. This stage employs many seasonal workers, all sheltered from the weather.

Roles range from grading line operator to order picker, including labelling, visual quality checks and palletising. The pace is set by the machines and by daily orders, which are often only confirmed the evening before.

Where are the packing centres?

The main hubs are around auctions and cooperatives: Sint-Truiden for Haspengouw fruit, Roeselare for West Flanders vegetables, Sint-Katelijne-Waver for glasshouse vegetables and Hoogstraten for strawberries and tomatoes. Many growers also run their own packing shed on the farm.

When do packers get hired?

Fruit grading starts with picking in late August and continues through the winter as cold stores are emptied, often until spring. Strawberries and glasshouse vegetables need staff from March to October, winter vegetables from October to March.

Tasks on a grading line

Operators remove damaged fruit, direct sizes, fill and weigh packs, then check labels. The work is repetitive and done standing in cool, sometimes cold rooms, especially for fruit straight from cold storage. Warm layers are strongly recommended for every shift.

Who can be hired for packing work?

Nationals of the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland have free access to the Belgian labour market. A valid identity document, a bank account and the employer's Dimona declaration are all that is needed to start working legally.

Your status depends on the employer

Grading carried out for a grower or business under horticulture, joint committee 145, or agriculture, joint committee 144, can be done under occasional status. In the food industry or logistics that status does not apply, so work is done through agencies, student contracts or fixed-term contracts.

Nationals from outside the EU

A third-country worker must obtain a work authorisation from the competent region before entering Belgium. For seasonal work longer than 90 days the employer applies for a single work and residence permit, under the EU Seasonal Workers Directive.

Occasional status limits

Under occasional status you can work up to 100 days a year in horticulture and 50 days in agriculture, with a combined cap of 100 days. The royal decree of 14 April 2026 applies these rules to agency workers placed with businesses in both sectors.

Pay and working conditions in packing sheds

In fruit sorting, the sector scale on 1 January 2024 set 12.55 euros gross per hour for category one and 13.46 euros for category two, based on a 38-hour week. These rates have been indexed since then.

Deductions and payment

Occasional workers' social contributions are based on a legal flat daily amount. Withholding tax is 11.11 percent for Belgian residents and 18.725 percent for non-residents. Wages are paid into a bank account together with a detailed payslip.

In horticulture an agreement allows part of the net wage to be paid in cash, limited to 65 euros per week and eight weeks a year, against a receipt in two copies written in French or Dutch and in a language the worker understands.

Hours and organisation

Centres often run shifts, early morning or evening, to deliver retailers on time. Saturdays may be worked at peak periods. Accommodation is rarely provided at auction centres, more often by growers who grade on site.

Route to a packing job

Packing vacancies are more stable than picking jobs and appear throughout the year. Here is the typical approach for EU candidates; non-EU candidates must first obtain their regional work authorisation.

1. Identify nearby hubs: Sint-Truiden, Roeselare, Sint-Katelijne-Waver or Hoogstraten.
2. Search VDAB for sorteerder, inpakker or fruitsorteren, and Le Forem for conditionnement.
3. Register with temp agencies active in agri-food in those regions.
4. Prepare a CV highlighting punctuality and production experience.
5. Confirm the status, joint committee and hourly wage in writing.
6. Provide ID, IBAN and any work authorisation.
7. Track your days worked under occasional status.

Table of wages, costs and documents

The table summarises available benchmarks. Grading rates come from the sector scale published by the unions and should be updated with the indexation applicable at the time you are hired.

Common mistakes to avoid

Packing sheds mix permanent staff, agency workers and occasional workers, which can blur who is entitled to what. A few simple checks prevent unpleasant surprises at the end of the month.

• Confusing occasional status with an agency contract, although rights differ.
• Not receiving a detailed payslip every month.
• Accepting unrecorded overtime.
• Underestimating the cold of storage rooms and grading lines.
• Paying an intermediary for a place on a line.

Is grading work suitable for beginners?

Yes, short training is usually enough. Employers mainly look for attention, consistency and respect for hygiene rules. After a few weeks a reliable operator can move into quality control or forklift driving, with a higher wage category.

Do I need a forklift certificate?

Most employers require training and a certificate to drive a forklift. It is not needed for grading or packing roles, but it is a real advantage for being rehired from one season to the next.

Can you work all winter in packing?

Yes, it is one of the few seasonal farm jobs available in winter. Grading of pears and apples stored under controlled atmosphere often continues until spring, alongside packing of winter vegetables such as leeks.

Can students work at auction centres?

Yes, under a student employment contract or occasional status depending on the employer. Student contracts follow their own rules and hour quotas. It is worth asking which status applies, because pay and contributions differ.