Frequently asked questions
How many hours can I work as a student in 2026?
650 hours per calendar year at 2.71% contributions (13.07% beyond), all employers combined. Official counter: Student@work; Trakko shows yours in real time.
What happens if I go over 650 h?
Ordinary contributions (13.07%); child benefit or taxes may tip depending on your region. Trakko warns you at 80%, 95% and 100%.
Will my parents lose child benefit?
Brussels: 240 h per quarter (except July-September). Wallonia: 240 h outside student contracts. Flanders: 650 h a year under a student contract, otherwise 80 h a month.
Up to how much do I stay a dependant of my parents?
Net resources for 2026 under €12,300, not counting the first €7,010 earned under a student contract. Trakko estimates it from your gross.
When must my employer pay me?
By the 4th working day after the pay period at the latest. Trakko keeps every shift “owed” until it is paid, and flags delays.
I know my net pay, not my gross: does that work?
Yes, and it is the normal way in Trakko. You enter what you get per hour, the app works out the gross for your status (student, flexi, regular contract). Not sure about the figure? Tick “roughly”: your amounts show with ≈ until your first payslip.
Can Trakko read my phone calendar?
Yes, if you turn on “Link my calendar”. Trakko reads the phone calendar, where Google Calendar, the iCloud calendar, Outlook and the rest are already synced: no account to connect, no password to hand over, no Google permission to grant. Trakko offers you the new slots and you add them in one tap. Only the ones you add become shifts; the rest of your calendar is not copied, not sent, not stored. The reading happens on the device. It is a feature of the iPhone and Android apps: it does not work on the web.
Where is my data?
The database and the sign-in sit with Supabase, in Ireland, so inside the European Union, under a technical identifier from the first launch. Two technical providers are outside the EU: Resend for emails, Vercel for the site, both under the European Commission’s standard contractual clauses. Nothing is sold and nothing goes to advertisers. You delete your account from the app, and deleting it wipes your data.
Is Trakko an official source?
No. Trakko applies the rules of the NSSO, FPS Finance and NIHDI; the official counters remain Student@work and mycareer.be. In doubt? A youth information service or a union.
