The upcoming legislation, what it means for your sites, and how to prepare now
Belgian construction companies already deal with CIAW presence registration. But from 2027, the requirements will broaden: mandatory digital time registration will extend to more sectors and more types of companies. For construction, this means the tools you use for CIAW today will need to handle full working-time records tomorrow.
This article explains what’s coming, why it matters for construction specifically, and how to prepare without waiting for deadline pressure.
Start your compliance journey today with Suivo’s Check-in at Work solution.
Quick Navigation
- What’s Changing in 2027?
- Why Construction Is Affected Most
- The Cost of Waiting
- How to Prepare Now
- Frequently Asked Questions
What’s Changing in 2027?
The Belgian government is moving toward mandatory digital time registration for a broader set of employers. While the exact scope is still being finalised, the direction is clear:
- Digital records required, paper timesheets and Excel will no longer satisfy audit requirements for many companies
- Verifiable data, timestamps must be accurate and tamper-proof. Self-reported hours without verification will face scrutiny
- Broader sector coverage, beyond current CIAW (construction) and CIAO (cleaning) sectors
- Integration expectations, time data should connect to payroll and compliance systems, not exist in isolation
Why Construction Is Affected Most
Construction already has the strictest registration requirements via CIAW. The 2027 expansion will add:
- Full working-time records, not just presence (CIAW), but actual hours worked, breaks taken, and overtime logged
- Cross-project tracking, workers moving between sites need hours allocated per project for accurate cost reporting
- Subcontractor hour verification, main contractors may need to verify not just presence but actual hours worked by subcontractor teams
- Payroll audit trail, direct connection between registered hours and paid wages, verifiable by inspectors
The Cost of Waiting
Companies that wait until 2027 to implement face three problems:
- Rushed implementation, choosing and deploying a platform under deadline pressure leads to poor decisions and higher costs
- No adoption runway, workers need time to adopt new tools. Forcing adoption under a legal deadline creates resistance
- Premium pricing, vendors facing a surge of last-minute demand may increase prices or have limited implementation capacity
📊 The early-mover advantage: Companies that implement digital time registration now get 12-18 months of operational benefit (payroll accuracy, compliance automation, cost visibility) before the mandate takes effect, plus a smooth, unhurried adoption process.
How to Prepare Now
- 1. Audit your current process, how do you track hours today? Paper? Excel? An app? Identify gaps between current practice and what 2027 will require
- 2. Choose a platform that covers both CIAW and time tracking, don’t build two separate systems. One clock-in should handle presence registration and hour logging simultaneously
- 3. Connect to payroll, the 2027 requirements will expect time data flowing to payroll systems. Pre-built integrations with SD Worx, Partena, or Acerta eliminate manual steps
- 4. Start with one site, pilot on a single project, prove the value, then expand. Most platforms achieve full rollout within 2-4 weeks
- 5. Include subcontractors, choose a system that handles your own employees AND subcontractor registration in one dashboard
Explore Suivo’s time tracking and CIAW solution. For construction-specific features, see construction solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is time registration already mandatory for construction?
CIAW (presence registration) is mandatory for qualifying sites. Full working-time tracking is required under general labour law but not yet digitally mandated for all companies. The 2027 expansion will change this.
Will my current CIAW system be enough for 2027?
If your CIAW system also handles working hours, overtime, and payroll integration, likely yes. If it only handles presence registration without hour tracking, you’ll need to add time tracking capability. Suivo combines both in one platform.
What if I’m a small construction company?
The 2027 requirements will apply regardless of company size. Small companies benefit most from starting early: simpler implementation, lower cost, and more time for adoption. Suivo has no minimum user requirement.
Don’t wait for 2027
Start now and get 18 months of operational benefit before the mandate.
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