Flexi-job: how does it work? How to set it up in Flanders
Flexi-job, how does it work? A flexi-job is an extra job alongside your main job or your pension. You can start one if, in the reference quarter, you worked at least 4/5 of a full-time job for another employer, or if you are retired. Your employer registers you via Dimona, and since 1 July 2026 flexi-jobs have been open to all sectors, apart from five exceptions.
Flexi-job: how does it work step by step?
The system is simple once you know the order. These are the steps you go through as a flexi-jobber:
- Step 1: you check whether you meet the conditions (a main job of at least 4/5 in the reference quarter, or a pension).
- Step 2: you look for an employer in a sector where flexi-jobs are allowed.
- Step 3: you sign a flexi-job employment contract with that employer.
- Step 4: your employer files the Dimona declaration and keeps track of your attendance.
- Step 5: you work your shift and receive your flexi-wage.
- Step 6: your employer transfers your wage data to the flexi-wage counter on mycareer.be.
You can read more about each step below.
What exactly is a flexi-job?
A flexi-job is an additional job with an employer, on top of employment with one or more other employers. The system has existed since 1 December 2015. At that time, only catering businesses could use flexi-jobbers. From 2018, the government extended the system several times to additional sectors. Since 1 July 2026, it has in principle been open to the entire private and public sector.
In every other respect, you are a regular employee. The normal rules of employment law also apply to a flexi-job, with a few deviating provisions from the law of 16 November 2015. For a flexi-jobber, the employer pays an employer contribution of 28%. That is why a flexi-job is advantageous for both sides.
Who can do a flexi-job?
Two groups qualify: people with a main job and retirees.
Do you have a main job? Then in the reference quarter (T-3) you must have worked at least 4/5 of a full-time job for one or more other employers. That reference quarter is the third quarter before the quarter in which your flexi-job starts. If you start in July, the period considered is October, November and December of the year before. All periods for which your employer paid wages count. A limited number of listed periods of suspension in which you received no wages also count.
Are you retired? Then you can also do a flexi-job. Do you want to know what a flexi-job means for your personal pension situation? Then check with the pension service.
Are you a student? Then you generally do not qualify, because you need a main job of at least 4/5 or a pension. For you, there are student jobs.
In which sectors can you do a flexi-job?
Since 1 July 2026, flexi-jobs have been allowed in all sectors, except those that are excluded (opt-out). These are:
- domestic work (domestic workers)
- the funeral sector
- agriculture
- horticulture
- sea fishing
Within some of these sectors, exceptions exist. In horticulture, for example, the construction and maintenance of parks and gardens is not excluded. In sea fishing, this applies to shore staff and warehouse staff. No flexi-jobbers may work at fish auctions.
There is also a general exclusion for sex work and for artistic, artistic-technical and artistic-supporting functions. Sectors or categories of employers can also request an opt-out: every quarter in 2026, every year from 2027. So feel free to ask an employer whether their sector allows flexi-jobs. On the page with locations for flexi-jobs and student jobs you can see where to search.
How much tax do you pay on a flexi-job?
Your flexi-income is tax-free up to 18.440 euros per year (income year 2026). As long as your flexi-wage stays below that ceiling, your employer does not have to withhold payroll tax on it. If you earn more in a year, everything above 18.440 euros is taxed. For retirees, this ceiling does not apply.
So keep track during the year of how much you have already earned, especially if you do several shifts per month. Do you receive a benefit, get the Groeipakket (child benefit), or want to know whether you remain fiscally dependent? Then check with the competent authority.
How does a job app work for flexi-jobs?
Many flexi-jobbers look for their shifts via an app. For you, such an app usually works in five steps:
- Download the app and register. You create a profile with your details and your situation: main job or pension.
- Look for a shift. You browse the vacancies of companies near you and apply for the shift that suits you.
- Receive a contract proposal. The company sends you a proposal for your flexi-job employment contract. You read it through and agree.
- Work your shift. The employer files the Dimona declaration and registers your attendance.
- Confirm your hours and write a review. After the shift, you check the hours worked. You can also leave a review about the company.
The app takes care of searching and arranging. The legal steps remain the same: contract, Dimona and attendance registration. At shifters you can read how to get started as a flexi-jobber or student.
Do you prefer to work via the web platform?
Yes, you can. A web platform goes through the same steps as the app, but on your computer or laptop. You register, browse the vacancies, accept a contract proposal and confirm your hours afterwards. This is especially convenient if you want to read a contract calmly or go over your hours worked on a large screen.
The choice between app and web platform does not change your rights. Your flexi-job remains a flexi-job employment contract, and the employer must take care of Dimona and attendance registration. Many people combine both: searching on their phone, checking the hours on the computer. Are you a business looking for flexi-jobbers? Then take a look at businesses.
Which company passes the test? Choose an employer with its paperwork in order
A company passes your check if it meets three criteria. You can verify this yourself before you say yes:
- The sector is allowed. If the company is in domestic work, funerals, agriculture, horticulture or sea fishing, flexi-jobs are in principle excluded there. Also check the exceptions above.
- The company offers a flexi-job employment contract. That way you know from the start what you are agreeing to.
- The company does Dimona and attendance registration. This way the RSZ (the Belgian social security office) knows exactly when you work.
It does not matter whether it is an established business or a young company. What counts is the sector and whether the declarations are made correctly. A company that cannot confirm these three points is best left alone.
In practice: contract, Dimona and attendance registration
Contract. You sign a flexi-job employment contract with your employer. The normal rules of employment law apply, with a few deviations from the law of 16 November 2015. So ask for your contract before you start and read it through.
Dimona. Your employer reports your employment to the RSZ via Dimona. For a flexi-job, this is done per quarter, and at most one month in advance. An attendance registration is also part of this, so that the RSZ knows exactly when you are working.
Wage data. Your employer is obliged to carry out a flexi data transfer via the online service Flexi at work. In doing so, they transfer your wage data to the flexi-wage counter on mycareer.be.
As a flexi-jobber, you therefore do not file the Dimona declaration yourself. You do make sure that your contract is in order and that your hours are correct.
Five tips for your flexi-job
- Check your reference quarter. Verify that in the third quarter before your start you worked at least 4/5 for another employer, unless you are retired.
- Check your employer's sector. Especially with horticulture, agriculture or sea fishing, it is useful to ask this in advance.
- Keep track of your annual income. The tax-free ceiling is 18.440 euros per year. For retirees, this ceiling does not apply.
- Arrange contract and Dimona before you begin. Only start once you know that your registration and attendance registration are in order.
- Confirm your hours right away. This prevents disputes about the number of hours worked and allows your employer to pass on your wage data correctly.
Frequently asked questions about flexi-jobs
Can I do a flexi-job as a student? Generally not. For a flexi-job you need a main job of at least 4/5 or a pension. As a student, you can do a student job.
Is a flexi-job tax-free? Your flexi-income is tax-free up to 18.440 euros per year (income year 2026). What you earn above that is taxed. For retirees, this ceiling does not apply.
In which sectors are flexi-jobs not allowed? Since 1 July 2026, these are domestic work, the funeral sector, agriculture, horticulture and sea fishing, with a few exceptions within those sectors. A general exclusion applies to sex work and artistic functions.
Who files the Dimona declaration? Your employer. They file the declaration per quarter, at most one month in advance, together with an attendance registration.
Can I work via an app or via a web platform? Both are possible. The steps and your rights remain the same.
In summary
A flexi-job works as an extra job alongside your main job or pension. In the reference quarter you need at least 4/5 with another employer, or you are retired. Your employer takes care of Dimona and attendance registration. Since 1 July 2026, all sectors are open, except domestic work, funerals, agriculture, horticulture and sea fishing. Your income is tax-free up to 18.440 euros per year.
Want to read more or start searching right away? Then take a look at the flexi-jobs on offer, the locations for flexi-jobs and student jobs or the page for shifters. Looking for staff? Then go to businesses. If you are a student, you will find your options at student jobs. You will find more explanations on our blog.
