A reform signed by Minister for SMEs and Entrepreneurship Eléonore Simonet enters into force today, 1 October 2026, overhauling the social-security ‘student-zelfstandige’ regime that more than 10,000 international and Belgian students use to run side businesses. Published on 30 September, the Royal Decree eliminates the 25-year age limit, removes the sworn declaration of study attendance and allows students who are finishing their thesis or graduating off-cycle to keep the favourable status during the relevant quarter. Created in 2017, the status lets enrolled students pay reduced social-security contributions (or none at all below €8,687 annual profit) while retaining family-allowance and health-care entitlements. The government argues that outdated rules discouraged entrepreneurial talent, especially foreign master’s students who often turn 26 before completing their degrees. By scrapping the age ceiling and accepting a simple enrolment certificate as proof of study, the reform cuts red tape and brings Belgium in line with France’s and the Netherlands’ more flexible student-business schemes. Global employers that sponsor student founders through incubator programmes or university spin-offs should revisit their compliance playbooks. Because the contributions are now income-based only, a non-EU student can combine the status with a part-time internship or a 20-hour student job without triggering full social charges—provided the entrepreneurship income stays below €17,374 (2026 threshold). Immigration consequences are minimal: holders of a “student” residence card may continue to work self-employed up to 20 hours per week during term and full-time in holidays, but must still apply for a professional card if they remain after graduation. Universities welcomed the reform, noting that international applications to Belgian master programmes have doubled since 2022, partly driven by the country’s English-language start-up ecosystem. The higher-education lobby expects the number of student entrepreneurs to rise by 30 % within a year, boosting campus incubators in Leuven, Ghent and Brussels. For mobility teams, the message is clear: Belgium has become a more attractive destination for entrepreneurial students. Advisers should update orientation materials, flag the regime in pre-arrival briefings and coordinate with payroll providers to capture the correct contribution codes.
