It is important to know your work-related rights and responsibilities in the Netherlands as work contracts, salaries, working hours, and vacations can differ from your home country.

You also need to know about the requirements for international workers, such as visa regulations and work permits before you actively start working. For example, if you move to the Netherlands with your partner or spouse who accepted a job in the Netherlands as an expat, the IND will give you the same rights to work.

Contracts

First, you should check all the details of your employment contract before accepting a job in the Netherlands. Here are 4 most common types of contracts:

• Temporary is a most popular type of contract. It's fixed-term, so it has an end date and is mostly for one year. This contract ends automatically at the end of the term, so the employer doesn't have to send you any notice. It automatically changes to a permanent contract if you have received more than three successive temporary contracts or had several temporary contracts with your employer for more than three years.
• Permanent is for an indeterminate period of time with no end date. This type of contract can only be terminated if you resign or the employer finds a reason to end the contract which must comply with strict legal guidelines unless you have a mutual agreement.
• Zero-hour can exist as either a temporary or permanent work agreement. In a zero-hour contract, you have no fixed working hours, and you get paid for the actual hours you work. This allows for a flexible working arrangement with your employer.
• Freelancer is for self-employed professionals (mostly called ZZP'rs) who don't want to commit to any single long-term client or employer. To work as self-employed you need a special visa which you will have to apply for on your own or have a

Salaries

Salaries in the Netherlands are communicated on a gross (before income tax) per month or yearly. On the other hand, there is usually an hourly or weekly comparison for part-time jobs. You usually get your salary monthly at the end of the month. In addition, you receive extra payment twice a year: at Christmas and in Summer (June/July), considered as vacation money.

You can use calculator to check your gross income per year (If you are enjoying the "30% ruling", don't forget to select it from the options).

Working Hours

A standard full-time Dutch working week is 38 hours. The majority of full-time jobs in the Netherlands are between 36-40 hours a week, or seven to eight hours a day, five days a week. On the other hand, if you work less than 36 hours a week, but more than 12, you are considered working part-time.

Some companies have a 40-hour working week instead of the standard 38 hours, in which case you receive more salary for more hours worked. Another way to compensate for your higher weekly hours is by increasing your annual holiday leave.

Vacations

If you work full-time, you are entitled to minimum of 20 days (four weeks) of paid holiday leave per year. Part-time employees are also entitled to four times the number of hours they work per week. For example, a 25-hour workweek will provide you with 100 hours of annual paid holiday leave.

However, employers in the Netherlands usually offer more than the minimum number of days, with 24 and even 32 days of annual leave. This amount is stated in your work contract, and you receive regular pay during your holidays. If you have unused holidays, most employers allow unused holidays to be carried through to the following year, but it is wise to double-check this with your employer.

💡Holiday leave is separate from Dutch national holidays, which are also paid if they are on a weekday

Maternity/Paternity leave

If you become pregnant, you are legally entitled to at least 16 weeks of paid maternity leave. You can start your maternity leave from 4 to 6 weeks before the due date. This period before the birth, and the 10-12 weeks after, are financially covered by the maternity allowance.

Partner is also legally entitled to 1 workweek of paid leave when you have just given birth. It doesn't matter if the partner works full-time or part-time. For example, if the partner works five days a week, 5 hours a day, he will get 25 hours of paid leave.

Parental Leave

In the Netherlands, both parents are entitled to parental leave of maximum 26 times the length of the working week (f.e. If you are employed full-time then you can take 26x40 hours of parental leave). The parental leave is unpaid unless otherwise agreed. You are entitled to it during the period from birth up until your child turns 8 years old.