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Pay and working conditions in European countries

Netherlands

Country: The Netherlands

Unemployment in the Netherlands is low – 3.9% in 2025 (EU: 6.0%) – and 83.4% of people aged 20–64 have a job (EU: 76.1%). The minimum wage is €14.99 an hour from 1 July 2026 for workers aged 21+, with lower youth rates. Register with your municipality within 5 days to get your BSN, and take out Dutch health insurance within 4 months.

Minimum wage: from 1 July 2026 the statutory minimum wage is €14.99 gross an hour for workers aged 21 and over (€14.71 from 1 January 2026). Since 2024 there is only an hourly minimum – no fixed monthly amount. It is adjusted twice a year, on 1 January and 1 July; younger workers have lower youth rates.
Holiday allowance: at least 8% of your gross annual salary, usually paid in May or June.
Holidays: at least 4 times the number of days you work per week – 20 days a year in a five-day week. Statutory days must be taken by 1 July of the following year.
Working time (age 18+): at most 12 hours a day and 60 hours a week, on average no more than 55 hours a week over 4 weeks and 48 hours over 16 weeks. After 5.5 hours of work you get a 30-minute break; you need at least 11 hours of rest after a working day and 36 hours of uninterrupted rest a week.
Overtime is allowed within these limits and is generally paid at a higher rate – check your contract and collective labour agreement (cao).
Written information: within one month of starting, your employer must give you the main terms in writing – job, workplace, hours, salary, trial and notice period, pension scheme and the cao that applies.

published: 2014-09-03
last modification: 2026-10-03

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Key figures: Eurostat (population on 1 January 2026; unemployment and employment rates 2025; minimum wages July 2026); for the United Kingdom – Office for National Statistics; for Liechtenstein – national statistics. Country information: EURES – Living and working conditions, public employment services and the official government websites listed under each country. Rules, thresholds and amounts can change – check the official sources before you move. Updated: October 2026.

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