maybe

Hello! My husband and I currently live in Germany and are considering a move to the Amsterdam area. If we do this, I'll have a job lined up and he won't. Can he get a work permit since I'll have a job or is he out of luck? <BR>How much vacation do you generally get, and how many holidays? <BR>What percentage of tax do you pay on 80,000 euros (no kids, unemployed spouse)? <BR>How do foreigners get drivers licenses (we don't have German ones)?<BR>I'd like to get an idea of what the norms are before talking to the employer. Thanks for any input you have!<BR>

panvan

Check out www.expatica.com and you should get some good information from the message boards. Your tax rate depends on a number of things -- you should definitely get your employer to apply for the 30 percent ruling (first 30 percent of salary is tax free). You'll probably pay about 58% of your salary in tax otherwise. My salary is about half yours and I'm in the 48% tax bracket (luckily I got the 30 percent ruling). If you get the ruling , you automatically get a drivers license. I get about 5 weeks holiday, which is standard. I don't know about the work permit for your spouse, but I can tell you it's VERY hard to find a job if you don't already have one -- few firms are willing to make the effort to apply for it on your behalf. That said, living in the Netherlands is great!

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Sjoerd

No way you will pay 58% tax. Highest tax bracket is 52%. So if you get the 30% ruling, the first 30% of your salary will be tax free and you will pay approx. 40% on the remainder (tax and social security premiums together) <BR>You will need to take a new drivers test; American licenses can not be converted into EU ones and are only good for the first 6 months that you are in NL. <BR>Don't think that your husband will get a work permit automatically if neither of you are EU citizens. <BR>You will get at least 25 days vacation per year + 8 public holidays; some companies give more.

jen

check out the employment agency especially for native English speakers:<BR>www.undutchables/nl<BR>for possible jobs and questions about work permits for these jobs. You can also put your CV on file with them.

Terra

Hi There<BR><BR>I am also an American living in the Netherlands. About the drivers license-- there is a crazy rule stating if you have the 30% tax break ruling, you don't have to take the drivers test. It is true that the US license is only valid for 6 months (even for rentals). <BR><BR>Your husband will still need a work permit which has to be applied for by a hiring company-- however it is, I believe, more or less automatically approved and not subjected to the same rigorous rules as other non-EU permits. You may want to check the site: http://www.immigratiedienst.nl/ the official site of the immigration department. <BR><BR>As for labour laws/benefits: there is standard labour law, and then on top of that there can be (not in all cases) laws that apply to certain industries above and beyond the standard minimum laws. Standard vacation is 25 days, but different industries may have other requirements (which may be more than 25 days). <BR><BR>One thing to check on salary: most companies give a gross amount which is exclusive of an additional 8% earmarked as "holiday pay". Make sure to ask your employer about it. Please feel free to email me any questions (other than taxes which I know very little about).<BR><BR>Good luck! I have loved living here!<BR>Terra