How much will I get paid for working?

In the Netherlands, employers must pay all employees aged 21 and over at least the statutory minimum wage and the statutory minimum holiday allowance. For employees aged 15 to 20, the youth minimum wage (link in Dutch) applies. Until you reach age 21, the older you are, the higher your minimum wage will be.

If you get a part-time job as a student in the Netherlands, you’ll probably receive statutory minimum wage. We’ll break down the components of the minimum wage, as well as the amounts for the different age groups.

Components of the minimum wage

The statutory minimum wage is based on the gross wage payable for a normal working week, i.e. before overtime payments. Gross wage can consist of:

  • The basic wage agreed in your contract
  • Performance-related payments and allowances for shift work, irregular hours, etc.
  • Weekly or monthly fixed payments for the turnover you generate, and
  • Work-related payments by third parties, e.g. tips or payments agreed between you and your employer

The total of these amounts may not be lower than the minimum wage (for your age group).

Amount of the minimum wage

The government adjusts the amount of the minimum wage twice a year: on 1st January and 1st July. As of January 2022, the amounts – per month, week and day, for a full working week – are:

(Table 1)

Source: government.nl

Amount of the hourly minimum wage

Dutch law doesn’t actually specify an hourly minimum wage, but the Dutch government nevertheless gives some indications of what this should be. You can see what these are (as of January 2022) in the table below. Note that these are not set amounts; they are merely indicative. Your employer must base the payments on the full statutory minimum wage per day, week or month (see Table 1). Rounding the total may not lead to you receiving less than the statutory minimum wage.

(Table 2)

If you’re a part-time employee, you can work out your minimum wage by:

  1. Taking the minimum wage per week (Table 1)
  2. Dividing it by the number of hours in a full working week (Table 2)
  3. Multiplying the result by the number of hours you work per week

Source: government.nl

Minimum wage requirement for employees subject to an employment permit

Employees from outside the EEA+Switzerland require an employment permit to work in the Netherlands. To be issued with such a permit, your employer must pay you at least the full minimum wage payable to employees aged 22 and older, even if you’re younger than 22 or work part time.

Payment method and payslips

Dutch law requires that the statutory minimum wage always be paid by bank transfer; for this, you’ll need a SEPA account and an IBAN. However, if you’re paid more than the statutory minimum wage, a bank transfer is not mandatory for the extra amount. This also applies to your holiday allowance, which may be paid in cash or with vouchers.

Lastly, your employer must specify what minimum wage is applicable to you on your payslip. In addition to this, your payslip must also specify:

  • The gross wage amount
  • A breakdown of the salary into components, e.g. basic salary and performance-related bonus
  • The holiday allowance
  • Any other allowances
  • Any deductions (such as national insurance contributions)
  • Your name and your employer’s name
  • The period to which the payment relates
  • The number of working hours agreed to in the employment contract
  • Whether you (the employee) have a written permanent contract or an on-call contract

More information on the requirements relating to minimum wage can be found on the Dutch government website.

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