The Dutch healthcare system is known as one of the best in the world. If you work in The Netherlands, you are required to apply for basic health insurance (even if you have a part-time job or paid internship). From the moment you have a Citizen Service Number (in Dutch: Burger Service Nummer - BSN, refer to page 9), you have four months to apply for health insurance in the Netherlands. You risk a fine if you wait too long. The basic insurance plan is already quite extensive and is more or les...

When you move to the Netherlands, you will need to open a Dutch bank account to receive your salary, rent an apartment or just to pay for your groceries at the supermarket.    To open a private bank account in the Netherlands, you will need to either make an online appointment or simply walk into your nearest branch with all of your details. To open a bank account in the Netherlands you will need the following:   Your Citizen Service Number (In Dutch: Burger Service Numme...

Of all Europeans, Dutch residents face the longest daily commute. No less than 30 percent of workers in the Netherlands spend 45 minutes or more on the road or public transport between home and work.  Public transport and OV chipcard  The most convenient way to use all sorts of public transport (train, bus, tram and metro), is by owning the so-called OV chipcard. Here you can find detailed information regarding what OV chipcard is and what types of OV chipcard there are: OV-chipk...

When you travel to the office or you need to travel for business purposes, you are entitled to an  allowance from Boskalis. For more detailed information about the commuting/travel allowance, check the “Guide to Boskalis” which is published on Bokanet.

The Belastingdienst is the government's tax collection and customs service in the Netherlands. It is part of the Ministry of Finance. Whether you're a Dutch citizen or an expat, you are required to pay taxes when you earn money while living in the Netherlands.  The link to the Belastingdienst is the following: www.belastingdienst.nl/wps/wcm/connect/en/individuals/individuals.

One of the most important things to understand about your Dutch salary is the difference between your gross and net salary: Your gross salary (in Dutch: bruto salaris) is the total amount of your salary before tax and other costs are deducted; Your net income (in Dutch: netto salaris) is your salary after income tax, social security payments and contributions for your pension have been deducted.  The net salary is the amount that is deposited in your bank account each month/4 w...

If you are registered in a municipality in the Netherlands, you obtain a Citizen Service Number (Burger Service Nummer – BSN). A citizen service number is a unique number for anyone in respect of matters related to the Dutch government authorities. The BSN will facilitate any interaction with the Dutch authorities: starting a job, opening a bank account, deducting your taxes and social security contributions, using the healthcare system, applying for possible benefits, announcing a change...

In the Netherlands, you can easily travel by train, bus, bike, tram or even by taxi. Therefore, you can easily arrange day trips or vacations among the many beautiful places that are worth seeing without having to worry about transportation. Here you can find some inspiration for beautiful cities and villages to put on your must-visit list. 

Expats from within the EU, the EEA (the EU plus Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway) or Switzerland do not need a work or residence permit for the Netherlands, as citizens of these nations have the right to freedom of movement within each other's countries.    Every non-EU citizen who wants to work in the Netherlands has to obtain a valid work permit. A work permit is valid only for the employer who makes the request and ceases if/when the employee leaves the job. There is no gener...

When you bring your family members with you, they will receive a residence/work permit as a “family member”. This makes it possible for them to stay/work in the Netherlands. In case you want to bring your family to the Netherlands, please discuss this with your HR manager and make sure that a permit is applied for them as well. 

Education is compulsory in the Netherlands from the age of five to sixteen, however, most children start to attend primary school at age of four. While the structure of primary education in the Netherlands is straightforward, the structure of the Dutch secondary education system often seems confusing because of the multiple paths and graduation ages in high school. In reality, Dutch secondary schools are similar to those in most other countries, with one stream to prepare students for vocational...