Living & Working in the Netherlands

LIVING & WORKING IN THE NETHERLANDS Ria Bosch EURES adviser Living & Working in the Netherlands

THIS PRESENTATION The Netherlands The Dutch labour market Looking for jobs Wages, social security, tax etc. What do you need to do and bring What do we need? “The Dutchmen” Living & Working in the Netherlands

THE NETHERLANDS 41.526 Km2 26% below sea level Average density of population: 485 per km2 Randstad 1000 per km2 The Hague 5762 per km2 Randstad 1000 per km2 The Hague 5762 per km2 Living & Working in the Netherlands

LABOUR MARKET North: Working population 751.000 = 10% Unemployment rate of 5,3% East: Working population 1.441.000 = 19% Unemployment rate of 4% South: Working population 1.772.000 = 23% Unemployment rate of 4,2% West: Working population 3.596.000 = 48% Unemployment rate of 3,9% Living & Working in the Netherlands

LABOUR MARKET North, South & East West Rural Tourism Education Transport Retail Care Highly industrialized Harbors, Airports Highest number of jobs Education (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Leiden, Delft) Urban agglomeration Go West! Living & Working in the Netherlands

Some figures about: unemployment jobs vacancies LABOUR MARKET Living & Working in the Netherlands

UNEMPLOYMENT 2007 -2010 Living & Working in the Netherlands

UNEMPLOYMENT RATES Living & Working in the Netherlands

RESULTS VACANCY-SURVEY 2009 Temporarily work with a view on a permanent job is most current procedure Elementary educated often unemployed Number of medium skilled unemployed higher than before the economical crisis Highly educated have more chances Unemployment rose relatively faster in 2009 Men have more chances then women 2009 More man than woman were losing jobs Woman work more in professions that are less subject to the economic situation. Living & Working in the Netherlands

LOOKING FOR JOBS IN THE NETHERLANDS Living & Working in the Netherlands

HOW TO FIND A JOB? Public Employment Service / = UWV WERKBEDRIJF > www.werk.nl Temporary Work Agencies Personal contacts Newspapers > Volkskrant/ Telegraaf Internet !!!!!!!!!!! Speculative applications  common and successful START LEARNING DUTCH, KNOWLEDGE OF GERMAN OR ENGLISH IS A MUST! Living & Working in the Netherlands

TEMPORARY WORK AGENCIES “Uitzendbureau” Widespread in the Netherlands Often first period in a new permanent job Special Legislation How to register? CV BSN number Bank account Job seekers don’t pay, employers do Living & Working in the Netherlands

HOW TO APPLY FOR A JOB Telephone Letter of motivation accompanied by CV E-mail Invited for an interview? Check culture company Visit the company site Application methods: blue collar jobs: less formal, telephone white collar jobs: more formal, written Living & Working in the Netherlands

LETTER OF MOTIVATION Adjusted to the company and the vacancy Not more than one A4 Sell yourself How can you be of service to the company Make sure to be invited for a personal interview Living & Working in the Netherlands

CURRICULUM VITAE One/two A4 Personal data Experience Education Hobbies? Adjusted to the company/job Look at the example on the EURES website Europass.hu Living & Working in the Netherlands

CONTRACTS 1 Permanent labour contract Trial period 2 months Temporary labour contract Trial period depending on the length of the contract Contract with an agency More information at www.werk.nl  Living and Working in the Netherlands Special in the Netherlands: dismissal laws! Living & Working in the Netherlands

CONTRACTS 2 CAO Collective Labour Agreement For different sectors of industry Applicable to all workers in the sector or company Temporary work agencies follow this agreement Individual agreement Living & Working in the Netherlands

HOLIDAYS 4 x number of work days a wee 2 weeks in a row, rest upon agreement Only 6 bank holidays 8% of the annual salary extra, paid in May Living & Working in the Netherlands

SOCIAL SECURITY Old age pension Health insurance Unemployment benefits 2% per annum worked in the Netherlands Health insurance Register with a Dutch health insurer Unemployment benefits Sickness insurance Social allowance Child benefit Living & Working in the Netherlands

WAGES Legal minimum wage, depending on age Indication of net wages 23 and older fixed minimum wage Monthly €1.416,00 Weekly € 336,75 15-22 years old: lower percentage Indication of net wages 23 and older € 1193,- Income tax and social contributions Between 34 and 52%, depending on income If worked< 1 year, partly refund possible Living & Working in the Netherlands

COST OF LIVING AN IMPRESSION A rather expensive country compared to other EU countries. Meals: average of €6 euro p.p.p.d Water: average €8,50 p m Gas: between €61 – €100 p m Electricity: €30 p.p.p.m. Rent: €750 (Amsterdam €1132, Tilburg €502) Cigarettes: €4.50 (Hungary €2,90 (HUF 690-19 cigarettes) Bread: €1.57 Cup of coffee: €1.95 Glass of beer: €2.00 Chips with snack: €4.00 Cinema ticket: €8.50 Short bus ride: €2.00 Litre of petrol: €1.40 2-course menu: €30.00 Living & Working in the Netherlands

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO BRING Valid Passport or European ID card Bring relevant portables e.g.U forms e.g. U1 and U2 (former E301 and E303) Bring relevant personal documentation e.g. diploma’s (translated), CV , references Living & Working in the Netherlands

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO: REGISTRATION Staying > 3 months: Obtain a BSN at the Municipality (town hall) (Burgerservicenummer= fiscal number Registration at the municipality you live in Registration at the Immigration and Naturalisation Department (IND) www.ind.nl Staying < 3 months: Obtain a Sofinumber at the Tax office www.belastingdienst.nl No compulsory registration with the IND but might prove useful Living & Working in the Netherlands

HOW TO FIND ACCOMMODATION? Seasonal work: The employer must provide accommodation Regular jobs: Rent and buy Private agencies Public organisations (Housing corporations/Woningcorporaties) Rental of furnished houses Cities  countryside Living & Working in the Netherlands

WHAT DO WE NEED (1): Well skilled Construction workers, carpenters, bricklayers, Electricians Civil Engineers (BA and MA) Process operators Callcentre agents Security officers (Amsterdam Airport) Medical professions and Care Care assistants elderly and (mentally) disabled!!! Due to aging of the population huge shortages expected Childcare but..... Living & Working in the Netherlands

WHAT DO WE NEED (2): On the long term: Teachers (language teachers, mathematics, all teaching jobs Major shortages are expected due to aging of the working population and far to little teaching students. However less opportunities for Commercial employees Lower and medium administrative employees/ receptionists Elementary skilled technical staff with basic skills only Living & Working in the Netherlands

WWW.SEASONALWORK.NL Jobseeker register at www.seasonalwork.nl & upload CV Employers have vacancies published on EURES website & Employers search for candidates on seasonalwork.nl If Jobseeker finds vacancy on the EURES website registration at seasonalwork.nl Login homepage > tab 'Links' > 'Category‘> under category you click on “Vacancy” and in the field “Value” you enter the vacancy number. The employer checks the site and can contact you. All employers are directed to seasonalwork.nl. EURES advisers do not forward CV’s Living & Working in the Netherlands

How to cope with: ‘The Dutchman’ Living & Working in the Netherlands

‘The Dutchman’ Rudeness or “being open and direct”? Dutch always seem to “know better” Very individual, except … Living & Working in the Netherlands

‘The Dutchman’ Every hour is planned, work as well as free time Being in time is very important Agreed is agreed Work and home are different worlds Poldermodel, meetings Living & Working in the Netherlands

‘The Dutchman’ Hierarchy Food habits Traffic Open curtains Birthdays Living & Working in the Netherlands

USEFULL WEBSITES www.werk.nl/eures (working in the Netherlands) www.eures.europa.eu (living & working info) www.ind.nl (residence permits) www.DigiD.nl (What is DigiD? In English) www.belastingdienst.nl taxes www.newtoholland.nl (general information) www.uwv.nl Living & Working in the Netherlands

QUESTIONS? Thank you very much for your attention! Living & Working in the Netherlands