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Netherlands Employer of Record (EOR) Services

All Countries > Netherlands
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Capital

Amsterdam

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Official Language

Dutch

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Currency

Euro

Payroll Desktop

Payroll cycle

Monthly

Via offers complete Payroll, EOR and Contractor mangement services for the Netherlands
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Quick facts about the Netherlands

The Netherlands is known for its progressive policies. The country is the first to make working from home a legal right. A leader in IT and telecommunications, the Netherlands stands out as one of the most dynamic economies in the European Union. With the 17th largest economy in the world, the country is home to over 17 million people.

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If you're looking to build a hub in the Netherlands or hire full-time workers or contractors, you may have already considered how an employer-of-record (EOR) can help you hire international talent.

The good news is that an EOR provider like Via can help you onboard new employees in minutes and offer local on-the-ground support. By partnering with an EOR, you can hire and pay workers in the Netherlands without opening an entity or establishing a Dutch HR team. 

Keep reading to learn about the hiring, employment, payroll and benefits requirements for onboarding workers in the Netherlands, as well as how an EOR can help you navigate the Dutch employment system. 

What is an employer-of-record in the Netherlands? 

An employer of record (EOR), sometimes known as an international PEO, enables you to quickly hire and onboard workers in the Netherlands in as little as 1-2 days. 

EORs help: 

  • Manage international payments, payroll, employment contracts, and statutory benefits

  • Navigate payroll deductions, taxes, and other hyper-specific HR processes

  • Support full-time workers from onboarding to offboarding and everything in between

  • Provide immigration assistant, including work visa sponsorships

  • Save up to $200,000+ USD and thousands of hours

The Netherlands at a glance

Population

17.44 million

Currency

Euro (EUR) 

Capital city

Amsterdam

Business languages

Dutch, English 

GDP

1.03 trillion USD

Minimum wage

1,756 (EUR) per month

Working hours

The work weeks in the Netherlands are normally Monday-Friday 9am-5pm or 9am-6pm with a 1 hour lunch break. 

Number of public work holidays

10

Misclassification penalties

Up to 3% of the misclassified workers wages depending on the severity of the misclassification 

Time to hire with an EOR in the Netherlands

1-2 weeks

PTO

What to know before hiring in the Netherlands

The Netherlands has some of the happiest people in the world, as well as some of the most expensive employer costs. 

What is work culture like in the Netherlands? 

Work culture in the Netherlands is focused on communication, being direct, honesty and openness. Workers in the Netherlands usually enjoy going to work and take pride in their work. 

What time zone is the Netherlands in?

The Netherlands has two time zones: Atlantic Standard Time and Central European Summer Time. Amsterdam (the capital) operates in Central European Summer Time. 

Amsterdam is 6 hours ahead of New York City, so if it’s 10am in New York, it’s 5pm in Amsterdam. When dealing with Dutch teams or clients, it’s best to schedule meetings in the morning if you are based in the US.

What is the typical work week in the Netherlands? 

The typical work week is Monday-Friday from 9am to 5pm or 6pm, for a total of 7-8 hours per day or 36-40 hours per week. 

Employer costs

When hiring new employees in the Netherlands, employer costs are higher than many other countries in Europe. 

Typical costs to hire an employee in the Netherlands include: 

  • Annual salary

  • Contributions of 22% per employee to the country’s social security system

  • Employment Insurance

  • Vacation, sick leave, and other types of leave like parental and maternity leave 

  • Onboarding and training

What public holidays are in the Netherlands? 

In the Netherlands, full-time workers are entitled to 11 paid holidays each year. All employees are eligible as soon as they begin. 

The 11 holidays that garner paid time off are: 

  • New Year’s Day (1/1/2023) 

  • Good Friday (4/7/2023) 

  • Easter Sunday (4/9/2023) 

  • Easter Monday (4/10/2023)

  • Kings Day (4/27/2023) 

  • Liberation day (5/5/2023)

  • Ascension Day (5/18/2023)

  • Pentecost (5/28/2023)

  • Whit Monday (5/29/2023) 

  • Christmas (12/25/2023) 

  • St. Stephen’s Day (12/26/2023) 

How is internet connection in the Netherlands? 

The Netherlands is one the 28 countries in the EU that has the highest level of internet access. A recent study indicated that 98% of households in the Netherlands have internet access. 

Remote work in the Netherlands

Under the Working Conditions Act that was passed in 2022, the government officially gave workers in the country the legal right to work remotely and flexible working arrangements. 

Industries that thrive in the Netherlands

The Netherlands is one of the world's top 10 leading exporters. 

Industries that thrive in the Netherlands: 

  • Food and Agriculture 

  • Energy

  • Banking

  • Tech

  • Tourism

Hiring employees vs. contractors in the Netherlands

Dutch laws change frequently, so it’s important to understand the difference between a full-time employee and a contractor in the Netherlands to avoid misclassification penalties. 

Some general distinctions between employees and contractors: 

  • Contractors perform their own work and own their tools (e.g., laptops)

  • Contractors file and deduct their own taxes 

  • Employees are entitled to benefits while contractors are not 

  • Contractors are not entitled to notice or severance

  • Contractors set their own hours and completion of projects while employees have a set schedule 

An EOR can help you quickly decide if you need to hire a contractor or an employee. 

Employment legislation

Working Hours Act 

Labor law in the Netherlands that gives workers the right for flexible and remote work

Dutch Civil Code

Federal law that defines most of the working conditions and employee rights like leave, severance and termination and working hours 

Maternity & paternity leave

Hiring process with an EOR in the Netherlands

  1. Start recruiting Dutch talent using your in-house recruiter or by partnering with a recruiting agency based in the Netherlands  (Via can introduce you to one of our local recruiting partners)

  2. Choose the EOR partner that fits your hiring needs in the Netherlands. Via, for instance, is the best EOR for onboarding 20-100+ workers in Netherlands and building your local HQ without an entity

  3. Complete visa sponsorship for employees who are not already Dutch residents or citizens

  4. Fill out and sign compliant employment contracts

  5. Begin onboarding full-time employees with best-in-class local benefits 

  6. Manage new worker onboarding, as well as ongoing payroll, benefits, compliance, and other local HR processes for your growing hub

  7. Offboard workers with compliant severance packages 

End of employment in the Netherlands

End of employment is handled with caution in the Netherlands. At-will employment and terminating an employment relationship without a valid reason and authorization from the UWV (Dutch Employment Agency) usually results in fines. 

Unless both parties agree to a mutual termination of the employment contract, employers must ensure that they meet the qualifications to end an indefinite (full-time) employment. 

The Netherlands: What works best for you? EOR? PEO? Subsidiary? Let’s find out!

Once you’ve decided that you want to expand your global business in the Netherlands, you need to decide between partnering with a PEO (if you already have an entity), partnering with an EOR provider like Via, or opening a subsidiary. 

Partnering with a PEO in the Netherlands

PEO’s are a simple option if you need help with HR outsourcing.

Pros of a PEO

Cons of a PEO

Best for HR outsourcing and payroll

Still need to set up an entity in the Netherlands 

Usually located in the country 

Enter into a co-employment agreement which makes you partially liable if any compliance problems arise 

In-country knowledge about compliance in the Netherlands 

Communication with a Dutch PEO can be limited and cause complications for compliance and management

Opening a subsidiary in the Netherlands

Another option is to open your own subsidiary in the Netherlands. 

Pros of opening a subsidiary

Cons of opening a subsidiary

Direct management of your Dutch entity 

Registering a subsidiary in the Netherlands starts at around $1,250 EUR but can range into the tens of thousands, depending on what type of subsidiary you need

Hire your own local HR team to work directly with your employees in the Netherlands

Entity setup normally takes at least 4-6 weeks 

Tailor your business practices to Dutch culture 

Need to register with the right authorities and hire a legal team

Partnering with an EOR in the Netherlands 

One of the easiest and most straight-forward options is to hire an EOR service provider.

Pros of an EOR

Cons of an EOR

Save your business time and money by avoiding entity incorporation in the Netherlands 

Not the best option if you need to hire more than 500+ workers in the Netherlands (should just open your own subsidiary)

Support with the visa process and sponsorship

May have less control over how HR is managed (but this can help you focus on your day-to-day operations)

Help with benefit and payroll management, support during the onboarding and offboarding process

Learn more about EOR services.

Why companies partner with Via

Many companies want to hire within the Netherlands but do not have the in-depth knowledge of beginning the process compliantly. Via makes hiring Dutch talent and building your global team seamless. Via helps you manage local HR processes for direct employment such as work visas & permits, benefits, payroll, background checks, and more. Our team of local labor lawyers and on-the-ground experts ensure that your company remains compliant while expanding abroad. 

As your employer-of-record/entity in the Netherlands, Via assumes responsibility for employment liability, so that you can focus on what matters: recruiting and managing your team.

With Via’s transparent pricing, you can pay full-time employees or contractors in the Netherlands with no hidden set-up fees, no foreign exchange or transaction fees, and no minimums–start with 1 employee and scale up at your own pace.

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More information for you
    Netherlands Employer of Record (EOR) Services
    Set up Your Subsidiary in the Netherlands
    Hours of Work in the Netherlands
    Employee Rights in the Netherlands
    Remote Work in the Netherlands for Citizens and Foreigners
    End of Employment in the Netherlands
    Leave in the Netherlands
    Work Visa & Permits in the Netherlands
    Payroll in the Netherlands
    Hiring & Recruiting in the Netherlands
    Netherlands Employee Compensation & Benefits
    Request a demo

Frequently asked questions

  • What is an employer of record?

    An employer of record is a third-party service hired by a parent company that takes on the responsibility of onboarding employees, managing payroll, helping with visas, and handling taxes in another country for the parent company.

  • How do I find an employer in the Netherlands?

    There are quite a few options for finding an employer in the Netherlands. Many employers hire employees through a recruitment agency or via their internal HR/talent team. Companies can also find potential employers using job boards like LinkedIn and through networking.

  • What is a CLA in the Netherlands?

    A collective labor agreement (or CLA) is the agreement between employer and employee that stipulates the conditions of the employment and the employee’s compensation and benefits.

  • What is 13th-month salary in the Netherlands?

    13th-month salary is a bonus that many employers give their employees that equals 1 months salary. Although not mandated by the Dutch government, many employers give their employees this bonus as a supplemental benefit.

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