Essential employment paperwork in The Netherlands

 

 

Important paperwork for employment in The Netherlands won't be very hard to process. Just make sure that you have all the requirements ready and you take some time to understand the process. 

The tax authority and foreign office in The Netherlands are pretty transparent about their laws and requirements for visas, taxation, and other important documents for working expats in the country. Read more about them through the detailed information below.

Visa

Unless you’re an EU or EEA (European Economic Area) citizen, you will need a work permit before you can work in The Netherlands. To apply for an employment visa, you will need to have a sponsor. This is usually your employer. The company’s Human Resource department should be able to assist and advise you on your application.

To apply for a business visa, you will need to submit the following:

  • A passport that’s valid for at least six months
  • Completed visa application forms
  • One recent passport size photo
  • A copy of your flight itinerary or travel ticket to Netherlands
  • Letter from your company (on company letterhead and signed by someone other than you) addressed to the Dutch Embassy
  • Sponsor’s letter from associated companies or other references in the Netherlands

For more information, click here.

Taxes

Corporate income tax in the Netherlands is generally levied at 25.5% on bigger profits. Profits of up to €25,000 will be taxed at a rate of 20% (24.5%) while for profits between €25,000 and €60,000 a rate of 23.5% will apply.

Individual income tax is levied at a progressive rate. The table below shows the rates:

Taxable income                Tax rate

Up to €17,579                   33.60%

€17,580–31,589               41.85%

€31,589–53,860               42%

Over €53,861                    52%

For more information, click here.

The BSN (Burgerservicenummer) number is a personal number issued to anyone registered in the GemeentelijkeBasisadministratiepersoonsgegevens (GBA) (the Personal Records Database of a municipality). This is required when opening a bank account, starting a job, using the health care system, applying for benefits, getting a car, and changing an address in the city of Amsterdam.

Foreigners arriving in the Netherlands must register with the registration office (DienstBurgerzaken) of the GemeentelijkeBasisadministratiepersoonsgegevens (GBA). Within weeks, a new resident will receive a letter containing registration details and the BSN number.

Local authorities charge an annual property tax in the Netherlands on ownership or use of property. The amount taxed will be based on the market value of the property. Typical rates of property tax are usually between 0.1% and 0.3% for both the owner and the user of a property.

The standard rate of Value Added Tax (VAT) / Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the Netherlands is 19% on all goods and services subject to VAT. A reduced rate of 6% applies to food stuff, books, newspapers, farm animals, medicine, and public transport. 

For more information, head over to the local tax office.