Seasonal vegetable harvest jobs in Belgium: crops, wages and access
In Belgium, seasonal vegetable growing work covers planting, harvesting and preparing field and glasshouse vegetables, from asparagus to leeks, mostly in Flanders, and is usually done under the special occasional worker status of the agriculture or horticulture sector.
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Belgian vegetable growing in practice
Belgium has a strongly export-oriented vegetable sector, split between glasshouse crops such as tomatoes, peppers and lettuce, and large field crops such as leeks, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and vegetables grown for freezing. Seasonal labour remains essential throughout the year.
Tasks vary widely: planting young plants, weeding, cutting and trimming vegetables in the field, glasshouse picking and leaf removal, and preparation in sheds. Some harvests are mechanised, while others, such as asparagus and fresh-market sprouts, remain largely manual work.
Where are vegetable farms concentrated?
West Flanders, around Roeselare, Staden and Torhout, is the main area for field and processing vegetables. The Mechelen and Sint-Katelijne-Waver area hosts many glasshouses. The Kempen and Limburg grow asparagus, and Flemish Brabant is known for forced Belgian endive, called chicory or witloof.
The harvest calendar
The season opens with white asparagus from April to late June. Lettuce, kohlrabi and glasshouse vegetables fill spring and summer. Leeks, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are harvested from autumn into winter, while endive forcing continues from October to April.
Working conditions in the field
Field work is often done bent over, in rain or sun, with sharp knives. Glasshouses are hot and humid, but work is often done standing on pipe-rail trolleys. Safety shoes and waterproof clothing are strongly recommended for any outdoor harvest.
Who can take a seasonal vegetable job?
Citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland can work without authorisation. They need a valid identity document and a bank account, while the employer files the Dimona declaration that registers them with Belgian social security.
Two joint committees depending on the farm
Specialised vegetable growers fall under joint committee 145, horticulture, vegetable sub-sector. Large arable farms growing potatoes or processing vegetables in rotation often fall under joint committee 144, agriculture, which applies separate wage rules for occasional workers.
The single permit for non-EU nationals
Outside the EU, a seasonal work authorisation from the competent Belgian region is mandatory before departure. For stays over 90 days the employer applies for a single permit covering work and residence. People with temporary protection can work without any additional authorisation.
Days allowed under occasional status
An occasional worker may work up to 100 days per year in horticulture and 50 days in agriculture, with a combined cap of 100 days. These limits, in force since 1 July 2023, were confirmed for agency workers by the royal decree of 14 April 2026.
Wages and conditions in vegetables
In agriculture, the collective agreement of 26 February 2026 sets the minimum wage for occasional workers at 12.43 euros gross per hour from 1 January 2026. In horticulture, occasional workers receive at least the category one rate of the relevant sub-sector.
Sector bonuses in agriculture
Under joint committee 144, occasional workers with at least 25 declared days receive an end-of-year and purchasing power bonus of 89.38 euros, and those with 15 days earn a loyalty bonus of 0.50 euros per day worked, under the 2026 agreement.
Social contributions are calculated on a flat daily amount. Withholding tax is 11.11 percent for residents and 18.725 percent for non-residents. A tax measure planned for 2026 also reduces the withholding tax vegetable growers must pay over to the tax authorities.
Hours, transport and housing
Days start early, sometimes before 6 am for asparagus, and can exceed eight hours in peak season. Farms are often isolated, so a bicycle or car helps a lot. Housing offered by an employer must be decent, with the price stated in writing.
How to find a vegetable job
Offers mostly appear in spring for asparagus and in summer for autumn harvests. The approach below targets EU candidates; non-EU candidates must wait for the regional authorisation requested by their employer before travelling.
- Choose a crop and season: asparagus in spring, leeks and cabbages in autumn.
- Search VDAB for groenteteelt, oogstwerk or asperges steken, and Le Forem for maraîchage.
- Contact farms near Roeselare, Mechelen or in the Kempen.
- Prepare a clear CV with availability, languages and driving licence.
- Ask in writing for the joint committee, hourly wage and housing terms.
- Send ID and IBAN for the Dimona declaration before day one.
- Log hours and tasks every day.
Key financial and administrative figures
The figures below come from the agreements and official information available for 2026. They provide a baseline for checking that a vegetable harvest offer meets the legal minimum before you commit to a season.
| Item | Joint committee | Amount or rule |
|---|---|---|
| Occasional hourly wage | 144 agriculture | 12.43 euros gross from 1 January 2026 |
| Occasional hourly wage | 145 horticulture | Sub-sector category 1 rate |
| End-of-year and purchasing power bonus | 144, minimum 25 days | 89.38 euros |
| Loyalty bonus | 144, minimum 15 days | 0.50 euros per day |
| Withholding tax | All | 11.11 or 18.725 percent |
| Day cap | 144 and 145 combined | 100 days per year |
Mistakes to avoid in vegetable work
The vegetable sector relies heavily on subcontracting and agency work, which multiplies intermediaries. Social inspection checks are frequent, but a worker's own vigilance remains the best protection against abuse.
- Accepting piece-rate pay with no guarantee of the sector's hourly minimum.
- Working for an unknown subcontractor without a contract or Dimona.
- Neglecting protective equipment around knives and machinery.
- Forgetting days already worked for another employer during the year.
- Paying a foreign agency for a promised visa or job.
How long does the asparagus season last?
Traditionally, white asparagus cutting starts in April and stops around 24 June, when growers let the plants recover. Depending on the weather and soil-heating techniques, harvesting can begin as early as March on some farms.
Do I need a driving licence?
It is not required for picking or cutting vegetables, but it helps for reaching distant plots or driving a tractor. Driver positions, however, require the right licence category and verifiable experience with farm machinery.
Is there winter work in Belgian vegetables?
Yes. Brussels sprouts, leeks and endive forcing keep crews busy until spring. Work takes place in cold, wet fields, or in dark forcing rooms for endive, where hours tend to be more regular than in outdoor harvesting.
Does occasional work count for social rights?
Occasional days are declared to social security, but on a flat-rate basis. Whether they count towards future benefits depends on the rules of each scheme, so workers should check with their payment body or union before relying on them.
Where to find these jobs
- VDAB – Seasonal work in farming and horticulture — Official VDAB page for pickers: minimum hourly wages by subsector, day limits, the harvest card and a link to current harvest vacancies.
- VDAB – Flemish vacancy search — Search engine of the Flemish public employment service with over 200,000 vacancies, filterable by keyword (pluk, oogst, seizoenarbeid) and sector.
- Le Forem – Job offers in Wallonia — Wallonia's public employment service: search engine with thousands of vacancies, email alerts and a calendar of regional jobdays.
- EURES – European job search — Official EU job mobility portal listing vacancies from public employment services, filterable by country, region and occupation.
- ACV-CSC – Vegetable growing news — Christian trade union news (in Dutch) on vegetable sector wages, with advice contacts for seasonal workers.
Official and legal references
- FPS Employment – Joint committee 144 agreement on occasional workers (2026) — Agreement of 26 February 2026: 12.43 euro hourly wage plus end-of-year and loyalty bonuses for occasional farm workers.
- NSSO – Occasional workers in agriculture and horticulture — Official instructions (in French) on the flat-rate basis used for occasional workers' social contributions.
- Partena Professional – Occasional work rules — Payroll provider summary (in French) of day caps, combined limits and the April 2026 royal decree.