Based on what contracts can I perform work in the Netherlands?

You can perform work in the Netherlands based on an employment contract. Employment contracts are subject to a specific set of rules, Dutch employment law. The employment contract must be distinguished from commission and freelance contracts (opdrachtovereenkomsten) and contracting for work (aanneming van werk).

There are different kind of employment contracts. You can enter into a permanent employment contract (‘permanent contract’) with your employer. You can also enter into a enter into a fixed-term employment contract (‘temporary contract’), with a set end date. Upon reaching this date, the employment contract ends automatically.

Furthermore, you can perform work based on other flexible employment contracts, such as:

  • An on-call contract (zero-hours contract, mini-max contract or on-call contract with pre-agreement)
  • An agency work employment contract; or
  • A payroll contract