Before you start to work in the Netherlands
Anyone wanting to (come to) work and live in the Netherlands, needs a valid passport or identity document. You must also have proof that you have access to Dutch medical insurance.
Do you need awork permit in the Netherlands?
If you have the nationality of a European Union (EU) country, the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, then of course you may work in the Netherlands. This is known as the freedom of movement of workers.
If you have Bulgarian or Romanian (the so called new-EU countries) nationalitiy the residence permit is not required, but you do still need a permit to be able to work in the Netherlands.
The rest of the nationalities do need to have both residence permit and work permit in order to be able to work in the Netherlands with the exception graduates from Dutch reserach Universities and Universities of Applied Science (HBO). Due to the new job seeking year regulation for international students from outside the EU/EEA who have successfully completed a degree in the Netherlands. They can remain in the Netherlands for an additional year to look for a permanent position as high skilled professionals. During the search year they require no permit for working in the Netherlands.
You may only work in the Netherlands if your Dutch employer has a work permit for you. You also need a residence permit is not required, but you do still need a work permit.
Citizen Service Number in the Netherlands
If you are going to work in the Netherlands and pay tax, you will need a Citizen Service Number (Burgerservicenummer, BSN). This is a
unique identity number for your contacts with the state. You will get your Citizen Service Number when you register with a Dutch municipality. If you are going to work, give your employer your BSN. Your employer will then arrange a number of things for you, for example
with the tax authorities and your pension fund. If you are not registered with a Dutch municipality and you cannot get a BSN, you can use a so-called ‘sofi number’ (an abbreviation of
social-fiscal number), which you will get from the Tax and Customs Administration.
Health insurance in the Netherlands
You must insure yourself against the costs of medical care. Even if you do not live in the Netherlands, but you work here and pay tax, you must arrange health insurance. This also applies if you already have health insurance in your home country and only work in the Netherlands (See ‘Medical Expenses’).
Registering with a municipality and the IND
The Dutch rules vary according to the length of your stay.
Staying longer than three months in the Netherlands
If you are intending to remain in the Netherlands for longer than three months, you must register your stay with the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst, IND). It is then recorded that you are staying in the Netherlands to currently carries no consequences for your right to stay in the
Netherlands. You may stay in the Netherlands in terms of the EU Treaty, even if you do not register. However, if you do not register it could mean that you have no right to any social assistance (benefits), or that you may not apply for a study grant or loan. You must also register with the municipality where you are
living. You perform this registration through the Municipal Basisadministratie Persoonsgegevens for information about how registration is carried out with the municipality, and what documents you need.
Staying less than three months in the Netherlands
Are you staying a maximum of three months in the Netherlands? Then you do not have to register with the municipality or the Certificate’ from the IND. Other bodies (including the Tax and
Customs Administration and banks) may ask for this. You can use it to open a bank account in the Netherlands, for instance.
Note! You can only register with the IND if you are already registreted in the municipality where you live.
Working in the Netherlands
There are a number of ways in which you can work in the Netherlands.
Working for a Dutch employer
You are employed by a Dutch employer, with whom you have signed a (temporary) employment contract. This could be the employer where you actually work. But it could also be a Dutch
temporary employment agency. Through this temporary employment agency, you work for one or more companies. The employment
contract includes conditions governing payment, working hours, holidays and leave. You are insured against unemployment, illness and occupational disability.
Employment contract in the Netherlands
In legal terms, no documents are needed for signing an employment contract. However, when you start work your employer will
ask to see a valid, original identity document. He checks that it is genuine and saves a copy in his records. A driving licence does
not count as a valid identity document for this purpose. That is because it does not indicate nationality, and provides no information about your residence status.
Always ask for a written employment contract in your own language or in English. Only sign the contract if you understand what
it says. Collective labour agreement (Collectieve Arbeidsovereenkomst, CAO) Alongside your contract, certain companies or sectors also recognise a collective labour agreement (CAO). This contains supplementary rules for all employees on payment, working hours, supplementary pension or payment during illness, for example. You can obtain more information about your CAO from your employer, trade union or on the website: www.cao.szw.nl.
Seconded as an employee to the Netherlands
You are working temporarily in the Netherlands for your own employer or a temporary employment agency in your country of origin. You sign an employment contract to this effect. Its terms and conditions must comply with the legal rules in your home country. But some Dutch rules also apply to your employer. In
all cases, you must be paid at least the Dutch minimum wage and holiday allowance. Employment conditions and working and rest
periods must also comply with the legal minimum requirements. You may remain socially insured in your home country if you have
a so-called E101 declaration; a type of secondment declaration. You or your employer may request this form from the social security organisation in your home country.
Self-employed in the Netherlands
If you are going to work as self-employed, then you are free to determine your own employment terms, such as the hourly wage
you will receive. There are two possibilities for carrying out selfemployed work in the Netherlands:
1. As self-employed based in your country of origin In the Netherlands you must be able to show that you are established as self-employed in your country of origin. This can be done through registration in the commercial register of your country of origin. If you meet certain conditions it is possible to remain insured in your country of origin. You must have the E101 declaration for this.
Zelfstandige Zonder Personeel, independent without employees) you may ask the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration in advance to assess your working status in the Netherlands. You may ask the Tax and Customs Administration (www.belastingdienst.nl) for a so-called Independent Contractor Status (Verklaring Arbeids Relatie )VAR your employer knows that he must regard you as an independent entrepreneur and that he must not deduct any income tax/national insurance premiums.
2. As a Dutch one-man-company as so-called ‘independent contractor
without staff ’ (ZZP) When establishing your company in the Netherlands as a Dutch taxpayer you are socially insured in accordance with Dutch legislation. This means that you accumulate an old-age pension (AOW), that you are eligible for family allowances (including child benefit, child-linked budget), and that you are insured for surviving dependents’ benefits (ANW) and exceptional medical expenses (AWBZ). As an independent contractor you are not automatically insured against unemployment, illness and occupational disability. You can however arrange your own cover with a private insurer. You are responsible for paying taxes and accumulating pension yourself. As an independent contractor you must ask the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration for an Independent Contractor
If you want to begin as an independent contractor in the Netherlands, you may approach the Chamber of Commerce (www.kvk.nl).