1. Living and Working in The Netherlands
Ria Bosch
EURES adviser
Living and Working in The Netherlands

2. This Presentation The Netherlands The labour market Looking for jobs
Wages, social security, tax
“the Dutchmen”
Who do the Netherlands need?
What do you need?
Working & Living in The Netherlands

3. The Netherlands 41.526 Km2 26% below sea level
Average density of population: 485 per km2
the Netherlands is a crowded country, small, only 200 km from east to west and about 300 km from north to south.
Many of the 16 million people live in the mid-west part, called de “Randstad”. Is the average density of population 387 a square kilometre, in the Randstad it is about a (KLIK 2x)
Here you will find most of the jobs. And as a consequence it is most difficult to find a place to live in that area.
Randstad 1000 per km2
The Hague 5762 per km2 !
Working & Living in The Netherlands

4. The North Working population 751.000 = 10% Unemployment rate of 5,5%
Rural
Tourism
Education (University and higher professional education in Leeuwarden and Groningen)
Transport
Retail
Facultatief. Cijfers aanpassen aan het moment!
Working & Living in The Netherlands

5. The East Working population 1.441.000 = 19% Unemployment rate of 4,1 %
Rural
Administration
Tourism
Education (Technical University Enschede
Agricultural university Wageningen)
Transport
Retail
Care
Facultatief. Cijfers aanpassen aan het moment!
Working & Living in The Netherlands

6. The South Working population 1.772.000 = 23%
Unemployment rate of 3,7 %
Rural
Industry in Brabant
Administration
Construction
Tourism
Education (Maastricht)
Transport
Retail
Care
Facultatief. Cijfers aanpassen aan het moment!
Working & Living in The Netherlands

7. The West (Randstad) Working population 3.596.000 = 48%
Unemployment rate of 5,0 %
Highly industrialized
Harbors, Airports
Highest number of jobs
Education (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Leiden, Delft)
Urban agglomeration
Go West!
Facultatief. Cijfers aanpassen aan het moment!
Working & Living in The Netherlands

8. Some figures about: unemployment jobs vacancies Labour market
Working & Living in The Netherlands

9. Working & Living in The Netherlands

10. Working & Living in The Netherlands

11. Results vacancy-survey 2006
High age is obstruction in finding a job (55+ 1%)
Elementary educated often unemployed
Temporarily work with a view on a permanent job is most current procedure
Working & Living in The Netherlands

12. Looking for jobs in the Netherlands
How did we find jobs in 2007
How did we look for jobs in 2007
In 2003: internet searched for 26%, found 6%
Working & Living in The Netherlands

13. How to find a job? Public Employment Service /CWI =
Centre for Work and Income >
Temporary Work Agencies
Personal contacts
Newspapers > Volkskrant/ Telegraaf
Internet
Speculative applications  common and successful
Working & Living in The Netherlands

14. 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
Very important: Job seekers never pay fee at a temp agency. If they do want you to pay for administration or other things: don’t trust the agency! Only if you must pay for the accommodation, that might be correct.
Working & Living in The Netherlands

15. How to apply to a job Telephone Letter of motivation accompanied by CV
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
Working & Living in The Netherlands

16. 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
Working & Living in The Netherlands

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

18. Contracts 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
 Living and Working in the Netherlands
Special in the Netherlands: dismissal laws!
One of the reasons there are many temporary contracts is the problem employers have dismissing workers with a permanent contract. In the Netherlands employers need to have permission to dismiss an employee before giving notice. Together with the short trial period, employers want to have a chance to find out enough about the new employee!
Working & Living in The Netherlands

19. Wages CAO Collective Labour Agreement
For different sectors of industry
Counts for all workers in the company
Temporary work agencies follow this agreement
Individual agreement
There is a special CAO for temporary work agencies, usually a bit less than the used CAO in the company. It is legal however
Working & Living in The Netherlands

20. Minimum Wage Legal minimum wage, depending on age 23 and up:
fixed minimum wage
Monthly €1.335,00
Weekly € 308,10
Per day € 61,62
15-22 years old: lower percentage
Indication of net wages
23 or older 1129,- ,- ,- ,- ,- ,-
Wages youth employees
age   % of minimum wages
22      % 1.134,75 21          %  967,90
20           61.5% ,05
19           % ,90
18       % ,45
17         39.5% ,35
16            34.5%  ,60
15           30%  ,50
Working & Living in The Netherlands

21. Income Taxes and contributions
34,40% over € – €
41,95% over € €
42 % over € €
52 % over €
Possibility of tax refund if you have worked less than a year. You will have to apply for it in Jnuar or February of the next year.
Working & Living in The Netherlands

22. 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
Pension: 2%per annum worked in the Netherlands + possible private insurance
Health: partly paid by your salary, reimbursed by employer. Still a contribution must be made by yourself, for every insured person over 18 years old in your family if they live in the Netherlands
Unemployment benefit is compulsory, the employer pays most, and part is deducted from your salary. Same is applicable for sickness insurance, so if you are unfit to work because of sickness, you get paid most f your salary anyhow.
Social allowance will be a problem, the community is not due to pay social allowance. Asking for it may cause your compulsory departure from the Netherlands.
Child benefits are paid according to Dutch regulations, possibly also for children living in Hungary, but you must apply for it at the SVB
No separate legislation for industrial accidents and occupational diseases.
Working & Living in The Netherlands

23. ‘The Dutchman’ How to cope with:
Last year the Argentinean wife of our crown prince said she looked for “the” Dutch identity, but could not find it. Indeed, as probably in Hungary, all 16 million Dutch are different individuals, but still there are some typical things to say about the Dutch
Working & Living in The Netherlands

24. How to cope with: ‘The Dutchman’
Rudeness or “being open and direct”?
Dutch always seem to “know better”
Every hour is planned, as well work as free time
Being in time is very important
Agreed is agreed
Maybe most typical for the Dutch is there open and direct way of communicating. They can be very direct, in a way many people from abroad just think they are very rude. Also they always know better, or so they think. The Netherlands has 16 million football coaches.
Dutch do live with a diary, every hour is planned, So if you are expected to arrive for a meeting at 10, o o’clock, don’t be late.
Also don’t visit them by 6 PM because they will have dinner then and most of the Dutch don’t expect uninvited guests for dinner. This doesn’t seem to be very hospitable, but Dutch just are used to make an appointment to eat together, and than they are very hospitable.
Working & Living in The Netherlands

25. How to cope with: ‘The Dutchman’
Work and home are different worlds
Hierarchy
Food habits
Traffic
Birthdays
Home and work are very often strictly separated.
In many companies employer and employees work together on a first name base. Still you must respect the boss for what he/she is!
As for food habits: Dutch usually take a box with some slices of bread to work for lunch. And milk is accepted at lunch and breakfast as a healthy drink, also for grown ups. There are many foreign restaurants, but at home it is quite often meat, vegetables and potatoes.
The traffic in the cities seems to be very hectic. Mainly because of the many bicycles that seem to stick to no rule at all. So be careful wit them. And do stick to the maximum speed, don’t call hand held and don’t park where you are not allowed to, as the fines for traffic offences are very high!
If you visit a Dutch family (invites that is), bring some flowers for the hostess and at a birthday a small gift. Birthdays are a family matter, a celebration with all family, friends and neighbours is usual.
Working & Living in The Netherlands

26. In the Netherlands there is need of :
Construction workers, carpenters, masons
Gardeners, agricultural and horticultural workers
Truck drivers
Cooks
Electricians
Welders, metal workers
Warehouse co-worker
BA and MA in ICT, Engineering and Marketing
Needed: Moderate grasp of Dutch depending on the profession, English or German is a must!
Working & Living in The Netherlands

27. Living and Working – Registration
Obtain a BSN at tax office
(Burgerservicenummer= fiscal number)
Staying over 3 months: register at the city administration
Check for addresses:
taxes
working in the Netherlands
living&working
work permits
Working & Living in The Netherlands

28. Recognition of diplomas
IDW- Evaluation of Foreign Credentials
Higher Education: 
Vocational training: 
Health sector : 
More information at: 
Working & Living in The Netherlands

29. How to find accommodation?
Seasonal work:
The employer must provide accommodation
Regular jobs:
Rent and buy
Private agencies
Public organisations (Woningcorporaties)
Rental of furnished houses
Cities  countryside
Public organisations: Need for registration, system of ‘points’/urgency declaration
Rental of furnished houses:
Often for 3 years, quite expensive and mainly via private agencies
In cities: rare and expensive
Countryside: easier to find and cheaper
Working & Living in The Netherlands

30. What you need Bring relevant E forms
e.g. E301, E303, E111
Bring relevant personal documentation
Seek pre-departure advice from EURES
Discuss any queries relating to your contract or employment directly with your new employer
Working & Living in The Netherlands

31. Questions? Thank you very much for your attention!
Working & Living in The Netherlands