Student job during the 2026 autumn break: find work fast

The 2026 autumn break in Flanders runs from Monday 2 to Sunday 8 November. Just one week, but a week packed with Halloween, All Saints' Day and the first rush of the year-end season. Shops, bars and restaurants, theme parks and warehouses are looking for extra hands, and student workers are the first people they think of. As long as you still have hours left of your 650 student hours, you can earn a tidy sum that week. In this article you'll read where the jobs are, how to land one quickly and what to watch out for.

Why the autumn break is such a good moment

For employers, early November is anything but quiet. Halloween falls on Saturday 31 October in 2026, right before the break, filling bars, fuelling themed parties and drawing crowds to theme parks that stretch their Halloween programme for another week. Sunday 1 November is All Saints' Day, a public holiday when bakers, florists and restaurants need extra staff.

At the same time, retail and logistics start gearing up for Black Friday on 27 November, Sinterklaas and the year-end period. Warehouses restock, shops build their toy departments. Anyone available during the autumn break is often asked straight away to come back in December.

Where to find a student job during the autumn break

• Retail. Stocking shelves, working the till, helping customers in the toy and decoration aisles. Supermarkets and chains mainly want help on Fridays and Saturdays.
• Hospitality. Serving, dishwashing, kitchen help and support at Halloween and family parties. Brasseries and bars in town and at the coast are busy during the autumn break.
• Theme parks and events. Reception, catering, ticket checks and park maintenance during the Halloween weeks. The parks start recruiting as early as September.
• Logistics. Order picking, packing and sorting in e-commerce warehouses preparing for Black Friday.
• Local authorities. Plenty of municipalities look for student workers for holiday activities, the sports hall or the swimming pool during the autumn break.

On our page with flexi-job and student-job locations you can see per city which sectors are opening shifts near you. Also read our page on student jobs if it's your first time.

Check your 650 hours first

In 2026 you can work 650 hours per calendar year as a student at the reduced solidarity contribution of 2.71 percent. If you worked a lot over the summer, your counter may already be well used up by November. A full autumn break is worth 30 to 40 hours, and the Christmas break after it often another 50 to 60. Add that to what you've already worked and you'll know right away whether you still have room.

Above 650 hours, you pay the regular 13.07 percent social security contributions from the 651st hour onwards. You can still work, but you keep less net. You can check your counter at any time on Student@work. On 1 January 2027 the counter resets to 650.

From age 15 you can join in

Since May 2026, 15-year-olds can also do a student job, provided it's light, non-industrial work. Think of helping out in a shop, a bakery or a café. Stricter rules apply to anyone under 18: a maximum of 8 hours a day, no night work and mandatory breaks. All the details are in our blog on working as a 15-year-old student.

What do you earn during the autumn break?

Your pay depends on your age and the sector. Student pay is a percentage of the sector minimum wage and rises with each year of age. Count on 10 to 13 euros gross per hour depending on your age and sector, and because you only pay a 2.71 percent contribution, you keep almost all of it. A 35-hour week quickly brings in 350 to 450 euros net. More figures per age are in our blog on the minimum wage for student workers.

If you work on Sunday 1 November or on a public holiday, your sector's supplements apply, just as for permanent colleagues. Ask your employer beforehand. If you stay under the earnings limit, you remain a dependant of your parents for tax purposes. How much that is, you'll read in our blog on the earnings limit for students in 2026.

Practical: contract, Dimona and planning

Every student job starts with a written student employment contract, even for a single week. Your employer files a Dimona declaration of type STU no later than your first working day, with your planned hours. That way the social security office knows how many hours of your quota you're using. Through AnyShift this happens automatically as soon as you accept a shift.

Plan realistically. The autumn break is also the last breather before the December exams. Three or four shifts in the week still leave enough room to study. How to keep work and school in balance is covered in our blog on combining a student job with your studies.

Five tips to find an autumn job fast

1. Start in October. The most popular shifts around Halloween and All Saints' Day are filled two weeks in advance.
2. Open up your availability. Anyone who can also do Friday evening and the weekend gets an offer first.
3. Pick a sector you can return to. A good autumn break in a shop or warehouse is often your ticket for the Christmas break.
4. Track your counter. Work out how many hours you have left for November and December combined.
5. Build your score. Being on time and working well earns you better shifts on AnyShift. Read how other shifters do it.

Frequently asked questions about student jobs during the autumn break

When is the autumn break in 2026?

In Flanders, from Monday 2 to Sunday 8 November 2026. Halloween falls on Saturday 31 October, All Saints' Day on Sunday 1 November.

Can I work at 15 during the autumn break?

Yes, since May 2026. It must be light work, a maximum of 8 hours a day and no night work.

How many hours can I work during the autumn break?

As many as you like within your quota of 650 hours a year and the regular working-time rules: a maximum of 8 hours a day for under-18s and the sector limits for adults.

Do the autumn-break hours count towards 2027?

No. The quota applies per calendar year. What you work in November 2026 comes off the 650 hours of 2026. On 1 January 2027 you start again with 650 hours.

Can I go back to the same employer during the Christmas break?

Yes. You simply sign a new student contract for that period. Many employers ask their good autumn students to come back themselves.

In short

The autumn break from 2 to 8 November 2026 is a short but busy week with Halloween, All Saints' Day and the start of the year-end season. Retail, hospitality, theme parks, logistics and municipalities are looking for student workers, from age 15. Check your 650 hours, plan your shifts around the exams and start looking in October. Want to read more? Browse our other blogs or our FAQ. An employer looking for students for the autumn break? See what AnyShift does for businesses.

📲 Ready to earn some extra during the autumn break? Download the free AnyShift app from the App Store or Google Play.