Social security

If you are a foreign artist, when do you fall under the Dutch social security scheme? What must you pay attention to and what must you take care of to avoid gaps in your accrual of old-age pension benefits and to avoid paying double contributions? Will you still have a right to Dutch social security benefits if you are going to live outside the Netherlands for a time?

Social security insurance is the collective name for several types of national insurance schemes (such as old-age pensions and benefits under the Exceptional Medical Expenses Act) and employee insurance schemes (such as unemployment benefits, disability benefits and health insurance benefits). In the Netherlands, the Social Insurance Bank (SVB) administers the national insurance schemes. The Employee Insurance Agency (UWV) administers the employee insurance schemes.

• Where will you be performing the work? Will you be performing it as an employee or as a self‑employed person?
• Will you be working temporarily or permanently in a foreign country?
• In which country is the organisation which will be paying your salary or fee located?

You generally fall under the social security laws of the country where you work. There are exceptions, however, for example, if you temporarily work abroad for a Dutch employer. Explain your specific situation to the agencies below. You should do this even if you remain in Europe, because some countries only apply EU agreements to employees who are nationals of an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, or not even at all.

The UWV’s website provides an overview of the most common situations and under which conditions you are insured. This website is only available in Dutch. For advice in English, you can call the UWV Information Line at (+31) (0)888 98 2001.

The SVB’s website is available in several languages (Dutch, English, German, French, Spanish and Turkish). The website Weet hoe het zit [Know Your Situation] (Dutch) contains useful references to regulations which are applicable to you with international projects.

New to Holland is the offical website of the Netherlands on all legal aspects of immigration, including social security.