Netherlands
Posting Employees to the Netherlands – What You Need to Know
Whenever you assign employees to work abroad, obtaining an A1 certificate is essential.
This certificate confirms that the employee remains covered by the Danish social security system during their stay abroad — including access to parental leave, unemployment insurance, and sickness benefits.
What Is the Posted Workers Directive (PWD)?
If you are posting employees to the Netherlands, you must assess whether their assignment requires registration under the Posted Workers Directive (PWD).
This EU directive guarantees that posted workers are entitled to a core set of employment rights in the host country — in this case, the Netherlands.
The PWD is designed to promote fair competition while safeguarding workers’ conditions across EU borders.
Through PWD registration, employees are entitled to:
Minimum wage and overtime pay in accordance with Dutch labor law
Regulations on working hours, breaks, and rest periods
Rights to paid annual leave and public holidays
Is PWD Registration Required?
Whether you need to register under the directive depends on several factors, such as:
The type and nature of the work
The sector or industry
The duration of the assignment
The work location
Which country benefits economically from the work performed
Each EU country — including the Netherlands — enforces the directive through its own national legislation.
Navigating PWD Requirements in the Netherlands
Because each EU country enforces the Posted Workers Directive through national legislation, the requirements can vary — and navigating the process is often detailed and complex.
If you are posting employees to the Netherlands, there are several key considerations to keep in mind:
- Which sector does the employee work in?
Certain sectors may have specific obligations or exemptions, such as:- Passenger rail transport
- Freight rail transport
- Passenger road transport
- Freight road transport
- …and others
Impotant links
- You may be exempt from PWD notification.
Some sectors and activities are excluded from the obligation to report posted workers.
🔗 Check the official list of exemptions here:
Which sectors and activities are exempt from the duty to notify
- Ensure compliance with Dutch labour standards.
You must follow Dutch regulations on wages, working hours, and rest periods.