How much does a healthcare worker earn in 2026?
The official IFIC salary scale for care assistants in hospitals, residential care centers, and home nursing — plus what comes with it and where you can start working today.
Source: IFIC salary scales for the private healthcare sectors, index July 1, 2026 · gross per month, full-time · view all salary scales
Gross monthly salary based on seniority
In healthcare, your salary follows at least the IFIC scale: it depends on the category of your position and increases every year with your seniority. This is how the gross monthly salary for a full-time job evolves.
| Seniority | Healthcare Assistant¹ | Community Health Center² |
|---|---|---|
| Start (0 years) | €2,949.72 | € 3,083.46 |
| 5 years | € 3,226.11 | €3,429.79 |
| 10 years | € 3,428.47 | €3,687.09 |
| 15 years | €3,572.94 | € 3,872.64 |
| 20 years | €3,654.87 | €4,062.60 |
| 25 years | € 3,711.46 | €4,194.33 |
| 35 years (maximum) | €3,776.83 | €4,349.15 |
¹ Category 11: healthcare assistant in a hospital, a residential care centre, home nursing or a psychiatric unit. ² Category 12: healthcare assistant in a community health centre.
The IFIC salary scale increases every year up to 35 years of seniority; the table shows the amount after the stated number of years. You can find the category of your position in the IFIC function guide.
Good to know
- Gross and full-time. The amounts apply to a full-time job; if you work part-time, you receive a proportional share.
- Bonuses on top of your salary scale. Salary elements such as holiday pay, the end-of-year bonus, and premiums for irregular working hours (night, weekend, public holidays) are added to the salary scale.
- Indexing. Wages follow the index; the table shows the level as of July 1, 2026. In the private sector, the cent index applies temporarily since June 2026: above €4,000 gross per month, your salary increases by a maximum of €80 upon indexation.
- For whom? The IFIC salary scale applies to employees who started employment or changed positions since 1 May 2018 (hospitals, home nursing, and the other federal care sectors) or since 1 November 2019 (Flemish care sectors such as residential care centers).
- Private or public. The table shows the scales for private institutions. Public institutions, such as public hospitals or residential care centres of a Public Centre for Social Welfare, use their own IFIC tables for the public sector.
- Net? That depends on your family situation and the withholding tax. With our gross-net calculator calculate an indication immediately.
Looking to get started as a healthcare assistant? These vacancies are currently open.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a newly qualified healthcare assistant earn?
You start at €2,949.72 gross per month (IFIC category 11) — for a full-time job, at the index of July 2026. Holiday pay, the end-of-year bonus, and premiums for irregular working hours are added to this.
Does a healthcare assistant in a residential care center earn the same as in a hospital?
In terms of salary scales, yes: in private institutions, care assistants in a hospital, a residential care centre, home nursing, or a psychiatric unit are all in IFIC category 11. In a community health centre, it is category 12, with a starting salary of €3,083.46.
What do you earn if you advance to become a nurse?
With an HBO5 Nursing diploma, you start as a nurse at €3,187.48 gross per month (category 14B), and with a bachelor's degree at €3,447.52 (category 14). You can read all about this at what does a nurse earn.
How much does a healthcare assistant earn net?
That depends on your family situation and the withholding tax. With our gross-net calculator calculate an indication immediately.
How do I find a job as a healthcare assistant?
On JobFunders, you will find vacancies for healthcare assistants throughout Flanders. Create one free profile with your qualifications and preferences, and Jobby — your digital career buddy — will invite you as soon as an employer is looking for something that truly suits you. View the vacancies for healthcare assistants.
Also interesting: Vacancies for healthcare assistants · Vacancies for caregivers · What does a nurse earn? · Calculate your net salary
Let the right healthcare employer find you.
Create your free profile in 2 minutes. From then on, Jobby works for you — you will be invited as soon as a hospital, residential care center, or home care organization is looking for something that really suits you.
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