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Working in the Netherlands
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Windmill, Kinderdijk
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All EEA nationals (nationals from the EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein)
can work in The Netherlands without a work permit.
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For employers recruiting outside the EEA, proof must be given that sufficient efforts have been made to
find a suitable EEA worker. This entails details of advertising and searches made through the local
employment service, and the feasibility of training a current member of staff to take on the position.
As with most European countries workers with specific IT or telecommunication skills can be granted
permits without the need to look for a suitable EEA candidate.
One main disadvantage with the work permit system in The Netherlands is the restriction placed on
applicants once the process has begun, preventing them from travelling to The Netherlands until the
permit has been approved.
Once there, foreign workers do however receive 35% of their salary tax free, and after 3 years of
working on a permit it is usually possible to obtain permanent residence and to work without
restriction.
Work permits are not visas and if a visa is required for the candidate to visit The Netherlands this
will need to be applied for before starting the work permit application. Nationals from the EU, Norway,
Iceland, Liechtenstein Switzerland, Japan, Canada, USA, Australia and New Zealand need not apply for a
residence visa once a work permit has been issued. Residence visas for other nationals are applied for
though a local Netherlands embassy, and until one has been granted the candidate is not allowed to
travel to any of the Schengen countries (Austria, Belgium France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxemburg,
Netherlands, Portugal, Spain). Work permits usually take 5 weeks to process.
Businesses in The Netherlands and EEA companies offering a service in The Netherlands can apply for work
permits. In the case of EEA companies, a Netherlands accountant must be hired to process the employee's
salary.
Candidates for work permits must be aged between 18 and 45 (although very young applicants are unlikely
to be able to prove they have specific enough skills to warrant the company looking outside the EEA).
If a residence visa is required that is the first step in the process. A work permit application should
then be made by the employer to the regional employment board and, after their approval, to the national
employment board.
Van der Elst Visas
Van der Elst visas enable a worker to provide a short-term service through a foreign service provider
without the need for a further work permit. The candidate must have been employed by the EEA based
company for over 12 months, and possess a work permit covering work at the company's European base if
they themselves are not EEA nationals. In the case of The Netherlands, a normal work permit application
should be made - the employment boards will then decide whether a Van der Elst visa is the most
appropriate. The application process should be a little shorter than the usual 5 weeks.
What to expect once you're there
Even though The Netherlands is very receptive to foreigners, it still doesn't attract many to work.
Casual work is still very popular with travellers who are willing to do less well paid menial and casual
work, although the engineering, textiles, agriculture, shipping, and food and drinks industries, as the
chief industries in the country, offer good opportunities to workers worldwide. The newer developing
industries of IT, telecommunications and construction are also opening themselves up through foreign
investment to foreigner workers.
Salaries for professionals are high, although those for secretarial and administrative staff can be
low in comparison. There are many tax incentives for foreign workers working for foreign industry in
the Netherlands with incomes being reduced by up to a third for tax purposes. However, Social Security
contributions are very high, although the welfare services on offer use this money to provide some of
the best benefits in Europe.
Contracts of employment are usually written, with details of salary, holiday entitlement and complaints
procedure all decided and laid down by collective agreement. Most contracts provide for a two month
trial at the start of employment, and terms of notice to terminate the contract can be as high as 3
months with managerial staff.
Although Dutch workers are legally entitled to a minimum of 3 weeks paid annual holiday receiving 5
weeks is common. Again, a perk of collective bargaining, designed to protect the individual worker's
rights.
Working life is very good for most in comparison with their European counterparts. Employment
legislation is extensive and life generally easy-going, although this tends only to be very noticeable
in the case of Amsterdam.
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