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Like any country in the world, the Netherlands has it own rules and regulations regarding working there. Here are some useful tips, as well as some recommended reading. Hopefully it will help you settling in here. Furthermore, there is useful information for the Undutchable employees, such as information concerning your rights and duties. You can also download a new timesheet. Information for Undutchables If you are an employee see also: Information for Undutchables employees Important first things to have (checklist) We understand that you might not see the wood for the trees anymore in this burocratic country with all its rules and regulations. Here you will find a checklist of what is needed if you intend to stay in the Netherlands for more than 3 months and want to work in the Netherlands. This list is made up to the latest government rules, but always make sure to check with the proper authority first. Undutchables Recruitment Agency cannot be held responsible for any mistakes or gaps in this checklist.
back to top Residence permit – Verblijfsvergunning A residence permit is needed if you are planning to stay longer than 3 months in the Netherlands. Officially a residence permit is not obliged for EU members, but in order to be able to arrange a lot of other things, we strongly suggest you apply for one. For non-EU/EER nationalities a residence permit is obliged. For citizens from MVV obligated countries it is even compulsory to apply for a temporary residence permit in their own country before coming to the Netherlands. The resident permits are issued by the Foreign Police. It is important to visit the nearest Foreign Police within a few days after you arrive to register. Central information number Foreign Police: 0900-8844 back to top Work permit – Tewerkstellingsvergunning EU/EER citizens do not need a work permit. They can work in the Netherlands (or any other EU country) since their residence permit states: "Arbeid is vrij toegestaan" (you are free to work). Also partners from EU citizens are in principle allowed to work. Please check with the foreign police or at www.ind.nl for the specific details. If you are not an EU citizen, you cannot work in the Netherlands unless an employer applies a "tewerkstellingsvergunning" for you. This employer (not a recruitment agency) then has to go through a long and difficult process of proving that no EU citizen is suitable for this job. Please note that Undutchables is not in a position to give you any documentation or sponsorship to enable you to get a work permit. back to top Working Holiday Scheme The working holiday scheme enables people between the ages of 18 and 30 from Canada, Australia and New Zealand to work in the Netherlands for up to one year. You can arrange your working holiday scheme with the Dutch Embassy in your country. If you fit the regulations of the scheme, you will receive a temporary residence permit. With this permit you will also be allowed to work in the Netherlands for up to one year. You will still have to register with the foreign police in the Netherlands (within three days of your arrival) to certify the permit. For more information: Immigratie en Naturalisatie Dienst, The Hague, 070 - 370 34 22 back to top Population register - Bevolkingsregister After having registered at the foreign police, you also have to register at the population register in your place of residence. Also for getting married, to register a birth, for a Dutch drivers licence and a new passport, you have to visit the population registrar. back to top Social Security and SoFi number – Sofi nummer The Dutch social security system covers a lot of the possible risks like illness, unemployment and pension, and is therefore costly. Every citizen and every employee in the Netherlands pays a contribution to the national insurance for national health insurance (ZFW), disability benefits (WAO), unemployment benefits (WW) and national pension (AOW). Although you might not need those insurances, everyone has to contribute. In order to deduct these contributions from you gross salary, you need a personal SoFi number. Without this number employers will not be able to pay you. You can obtain your SoFi number at the Tax Office, after being registered with the Foreign Police. Central information number Tax Offices: 0800-0543 back to top Bank account In order to receive your salary, you need a bank or giro (post office) account. There is actually very little difference between the two types of accounts. The main advantage of a bank account is that your salary will arrive two or three days sooner than with a giro account. However, larger post offices are open on Saturday mornings and banks are not. back to top Health Insurance To cover your medical expenses (for visiting a doctor, hospital or dentist and medicines) you are obliged to have insurance. If your annual income is below € 30,700 per year, you can insure your medical costs with a 'Ziekenfonds'. These 'Ziekenfonds' companies can offer you a relatively cheap insurance. The employer also contributes towards this Ziekenfonds for you. If you earn more, you have to be insured via a "particuliere verzekering". Note that an employer cannot register you with an insurance company. If you don't register yourself you are not insured! back to top Taxation The extensive national social system in the Netherlands requires all its inhabitants to pay at least 32.35% income taxes (this includes the national insurance contributions). Your employer deducts this income tax from your wages and pays it directly to the Tax Office. What you have to pay eventually for taxes (including wealth taxes) depends on your own personal situation. The Tax Office can tell you more about that. Housing Reasonable priced housing in the big cities (especially Amsterdam and Utrecht) is very hard to find. You can try the newspapers (mostly the Wednesday papers) or friends, but there are also housing agencies that might be able to help you out. You can find some links to housing agencies under useful links back to top Finding a job in the Netherlands If you don't speak Dutch and are not familiar with the Dutch labour market it might be difficult to find a job in the Netherlands. You can try by reacting on adverts in the newspaper, sending open application letters, or via friends and relatives. But one of the best ways to find a job in the Netherlands is through a recruitment agency. Almost 20% of the Dutch employees have (once) worked through a recruitment agency as a temp. And since a lot of agencies also can find you permanent contracts with a company (werving en selectie), even more employees get their job through a recruitment agency. These agencies are an important contribution to the Dutch labour market; almost all companies use the help of an agency to find them suitable staff. Most of the agencies are a member of an employer's federation (ABU or NBBU) that ensures you that good employee benefits (via their CAO) are being observed. And for employees recruitment agencies are free of charge. back to top Working via a recruitment agency Working via a recruitment agency almost always means that you have a temporary contract with the agency, but are actually working within another company. The recruitment agency pays you your wages, weekly, and is formally your employer. Through the CAO you are ensured of good employee benefits, equal to any other contract. Sometimes a contract is for a temporary period, but it often happens that the company wants to hire you directly after a certain period. (This period depends on the recruitment agency. A lot of agencies want you on their books for at least 1040 worked hours, which is around 6 months if you work 40 hours a week. Undutchables gives companies the opportunity to hire directly after 520 worked hours, which is around 3 months if you work 40 hours a week.) There are a lot of recruitment agencies, all with their specific specialism. Undutchables is specialised in office jobs for native speakers (other than Dutch) with a good command of English. Unfortunately we cannot help foreigners who want to work in production, technical or cleaning jobs, but we might be able to provide you with addresses of other agencies that do provide that kind of work. back to top Language courses There are a lot of commercial training institutes where you can learn Dutch in the quickest and most efficient way, since they test you on what the best training for you should be. Unfortunately these are not cheap. You can also learn Dutch with the Open University (mostly self-study) or via the Inburgeringscursus'. Some training institutes can be found at useful links. Dutch culture "Holland may appear to be a flat and boring paradise for the terminally modest. But culturally it is an impassable landscape with mountains of strange habits and curious customs. A mine field in which the stranger can only survive with a good guide." That's why we opened a refreshing website to guide you through Holland: www.howtosurviveholland.nl back to top Useful links Permits : www.ind.nl www.arbeidsbureau.nl Pension : www.stiplu.nl Taxrefund : www.ess.ie/undutchables www.belastingdienst.nl Language institutes : www.roc.nl www.berlitz.com www.linguarama.nl www.languagesolution.net Housing agencies : www.perfecthousing.nl www.dutchhousing.nl www.housingonline.nl Living in the Netherlands : www.howtosurviveholland.nl www.expatica.com back to top |
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