Practical information about living & working in The Netherlands

Housing & Accommodation

For information regarding temporary accommodation (hotels, hostels, bed & breakfasts etc) it is best to contact the Dutch Tourist Information Board VVV - http://www.holland.com/

For more permanent accommodation solutions (to rent or to buy) it is good to contact some of the many real estate agents (Makelaars). Consult http://www.makelaars.pagina.nl/ for a list of real estate agents per region in The Netherlands.

Work & Residence Permit Process

Non-EU passport/work permit holder
The Expat Company works with a partner on relocation matters including Work & Residence permits. www.t-and-a-relocation.nl

The Expat Company by itself is unable to handle job requests from non-EU passport/work permit holders. Non-EU citizens are not entitled to live and work in the Netherlands without a valid permit. This can sometimes be obtained through sponsorship via the employer or through a registered partnership (samenlevingscontract) or marriage with an EU-partner. However each individual case is different. Non-EU citizens are therefore advised to call the immigration department or their embassy for assistance.

EU passport/work permit holders
EU citizens are automatically entitled to live and work in the Netherlands.

Obtain a SOFI (social security number)
A Sofi number can be obtained at the Tax Office (Belastingdienst) upon presentation of a valid passport.

Employee benefits

Company cultures and policies vary greatly and so do their compensation and benefit programs. The compensation and benefit package will also vary depending on the company's country of origin.

The compensation and benefits programs of companies are also often decided by a worker's union agreement (CAO). Worker's union agreements may supercede employment legislation.

Below are some examples of what may be considered typical employee benefits in The Netherlands. Companies are not obliged to provide such benefit packages and each company has their own 'à la carte' versions:

Holiday Premium
The 8% holiday premium is a lump sum payment that is paid in the month of May. The holiday premium is taxed as income.

Pension
Many companies arrange for a company sponsored pension scheme whereby the employer and employee contribute to the pension plan.

Travel Costs
In the Netherlands employers often provide some reimbursement of travel costs to and from work by car or public transport. This usually depends on the distance between work and home.

Savings Programs
Many companies provide tax friendly savings programs called Spaarloon as a benefit to their employee.

Vacation Days
The minimum vacation allowance is 20 days per calendar year on the basis of full time employment. The minimum vacation allowance is actually calculated in terms of hours rather than days. To calculate this, take the number of hours worked per week and multiply by 4. This is the legal minimum, however many companies offer between 20-30 days per calendar year.

ATV Policy (Arbeidstijdverkorting), ADV (Arbeidsduurverkorting), Reduced Working Hours Policy
Some companies have a reduced working hours per week policy. In some companies this means that a reduced working week applies. In other companies this means that while employees work 40 hours a week, an allowance for future time off is accumulated.

13th month
In some companies a 13th salary month is paid as a benefit. This is usually payable at the end of the year. This benefit is taxed as income.

T&A Relocation
When hiring personnel from abroad our business unit T&A Relocation can assist with all formalities regarding relocation packages for employees: work permits, residence permits, housing, schooling, doctor, dentist, etc.

Please visit our relocation pages: http://www.t-and-a-relocation.nl/