46 days on leave? These jobs have the highest number of vacation days

A full-time Belgian who worked for a full year is entitled to ten statutory holidays and twenty paid holidays. But many employers grant more than that. Yes, the government is very generous in that regard, but white-collar workers in the private sector also have an average of 27 days of vacation. For blue-collar workers, that number is slightly lower. They receive 24 days of paid leave.

According to it Jobat salary compass the average number of vacation days has remained the same over the past three years. Your level of education seems to play a role: people without a higher education diploma could count on an average of 26 vacation days in 2022. Professional bachelors had 28, academic masters 29. On average, someone with more than thirty years of work experience also has four more days of vacation than someone who has not yet been working for a full year. Keep that in mind as we look at the average number of days of vacation according to your position (which is not in a government department).

Want to get the most out of a limited number of vacation days? These tips will help you get more and longer leave in 2024.

On average, certain people can count on even more leave than civil servants: those who are responsible for training others, or whose activities are linked to schools, such as CLB employees. With 46 vacation days, the leave of other job categories pales in comparison. But teachers often still have work when they are at home and sometimes have to sacrifice vacation time for their school, for example to help organize the open day. So don’t be blinded by that figure.

Do you see yourself standing in front of the classroom (and taking many vacation days)? These are the pros and cons of a job as a teacher.

The Salary Compass places researchers who are committed to science in the same category as teachers. Consider, for example, the practice assistants of university departments or the doctoral employees of research institutes. You immediately see the link with how higher educated people usually have more leave.

Is there a scientist in you? These features give it away.

With two days more leave than the average employee, many engineers and IT professionals can also go on holiday for a little longer. The same applies to those who are active in research & development, where, for example, they conduct research to make a company’s product or service more profitable.

Working in IT? View the many vacancies here.

Changing jobs at the last minute is not the easiest or smartest option. Unless perhaps you have found an employer who offers employees unlimited paid leave – but that is mainly found in the US. If you are interested in working longer days, you can consider working the hours of your full-time contract on four days instead of five. With such a four-day working week you keep your salary and pension rights, but you have one day left for yourself every week. Read more about the full-time four-day arrangement here.

Don’t you like that, or is it not possible for your type of work? Then you can possibly ask your employer for unpaid leave. You will then lose your salary during that period, and possibly some vacation days next year. Your boss is also not obliged to give permission for unpaid leave.

The 10 official holidays of 2024

5 vs. 4 days of work: most Belgians prefer the first

Take unpaid leave? These are the consequences