Most companies and organisations participate in a collectieve arbeidsovereenkomst – CAO (collective labour agreement). This is a written agreement between one or more employers and one or more trade unions about the labour conditions for all employees, such as wages, payment for extra work, working hours, probation period, pension, education and childcare.
The provisions in a CAO are often more favourable than those prescribed by law, but they may not contradict the law.
You can find information about what should be included in an employment contract here
It is important to carefully check all the conditions of your employment contract before signing.
It is not compulsory, but most companies in the Netherlands reimburse employee’s costs for commuting to work. In the collectieve arbeidsovereenkomst – CAO (collective labour agreement), company regulations or in your work contract, you can find the applicable rules.
If you take your own car or bicycle to work, your employer can reimburse a maximum amount per kilometre.These costs are not deductible from your income for tax purposes. You can find the actual amounts here (Dutch only)
Travel costs are tax deductible if you receive insufficient or no reimbursement from your employer under the following conditions:
If you have a personal OV chipkaart, you can find an overview of all your trips and the costs at the website of the OV chipcard. If you are unsure of what situation applies to you, visit the Belastingdienst (tax office) website for more information on where to apply for the openbaar vervoer verklaring or reisverklaring.
Please note that you cannot claim a deduction if the employer bought the tickets for you. If your travel expenses have partially been covered by your employer, you can only claim the part that has not been covered.
If you are a student and looking for a job, the following websites can be useful:
Your university may have an overview of job openings for students in the area of your studies. If you have done an internship, you can also ask if that organisation has anything for you.
Aside from the websites listed above, the general tips in this section for finding a job can be useful for students too.
Dutch employers are not legally obliged to pay you for your internship, though many give some kind of compensation, such as travel expenses. Others may be more generous and pay you a small amount. Be aware that you will have to pay taxes on anything you earn from an internship.
Different rules apply depending on whether you are under the age of 30 or older.
Students under the age of 30
If you are a student under the age of 30 and you are in the Netherlands for study purposes only (and don’t have a part-time job or paid internship), you are not required to take out a Dutch health insurance. Keep in mind that everybody in the Netherlands must be insured for medical care expenses. Therefore, you will have to make alternative arrangements for healthcare insurance. See below some of the arrangements you may have to do in order to be insured:
If you have a paid internship and/or a part-time job next to your study, you are required to take out a basisverzekering (basic health insurance) with a Dutch health insurer. Some companies offering special health insurance packages for students who don’t need to take out a Dutch health insurance are :
www.loonzorg.nl , /www.aonstudentinsurance.com/students/en/ and /www.oominsurance.com/to-the-netherlands/oom-studying-in-the-netherlands-insurance/
Criteria for students aged 30 years or older
If you are 30 years of age or older, the following two criteria determine if you need to take out a Dutch healthcare insurance:
Your stay is classified as a permanent stay if your social, economic and legal base is in the Netherlands. This is generally considered to be the case if your stay lasts longer than one year.
Stays of less than one year are generally considered to be temporary. However, to assess whether your stay is permanent or temporary, the Social Security Office (Sociale Verzekeringbank – SVB) takes a range of factors into consideration. Circumstances that may lead to your stay in the Netherlands being classified as temporary include regular return visits to your home country (including holidays), having a partner in your home country and maintaining a residence in your home country. In other words, your particular situation will always be taken into account.
If you want to be sure where you stand, you can always submit your case to the SVB.
The basisverzekering (basic health insurance) covers general medical care such as visits to the huisarts (GP), hospital stays, most prescription medicine and various medical appliances. The coverage included in a basic health insurance is determined by the government. However, insurance companies can decide for themselves what to cover in the aanvullende verzekering (additional health insurance).
Some Dutch health insurance providers offer special health packages for students. Few companies are offering special health insurance packages for students who don’t need to take out a Dutch health insurance are:
www.loonzorg.nl , /www.aonstudentinsurance.com/students/en/ and /www.oominsurance.com/to-the-netherlands/oom-studying-in-the-netherlands-insurance/
When you are legally living or working in the Netherlands for longer than four months, it is compulsory to get a Dutch health insurance, the so-called basisverzekering (basic insurance). If you have an international health insurance, please be aware that this might not be accepted, as it is not recognised as a valid Dutch health insurance. Upon arrival, it is best to have a look in your policy to see what the coverage of your international health insurance is.
The following rule applies:
If you are insured under the Wet Langdurige Zorg – Wlz (Long-term Care Act) you are obliged to take out a Dutch health insurance. You can ask the Social Security Office (Sociale Verzekeringsbank- SVB) if you are insured under this act.
Children under the age of 18 are always covered under their parent’s premium for the basic package and dental care. Parents must register their child with an insurance company within four months of its birth.
Not all health care is covered by the basic health insurance. You can opt for a aanvullende verzekering (additional health insurance) to cover physiotherapy, glasses, contact lenses, tandarts (dentist) or other services. Some insurances may also cover alternative medicine such as homeopathy and acupuncture. The coverage and premium differ per insurance company. On the website zorgverzekeringslijn you can find an explanation of the Dutch health insurance system in English and several other languages.
Additional health insurance is not obligatory and you are not obliged to take out the basic health insurance and additional health insurance with the same insurance company. However, insurance companies sometimes charge extra administration costs if you want to take out an additional insurance without the basic insurance. Please note that health insurance companies are not obliged to accept everyone who applies for additional health insurance. An insurance company can refuse to accept you as a client or can ask you about your health before accepting you.
Dental care is covered in the basisverzekering (basic healthcare insurance) for children under the age of 18. If you are 18 years or older, dental care can be covered by taking out a tandarts aanvullende verzekering (additional insurance dental care). The premium and coverage vary per health insurance company. In most cases, orthodontics are not covered.
If you are living illegally in the Netherlands, you can get urgent medical help without paying. The doctor decides which help is urgent in each individual case.
