RAVE-cruitment

We acknowledge housing is an important part in the whole relocation procedure. Therefore we always make sure there will be a furnished apartment available at the time you arrive in the Netherlands to start working.
To give you an idea about prices and locations, you can check wwww.pararius.com

On the cost of living index 2011 of Mercer, Amsterdam is ranked number 50 and on the UN quality of live index 2011, the Netherlands is ranked number 3 of the world.
This shows that the Netherlands offers a great quality of living without being too expensive, compared to other (European) cities.

To get an idea what you salary should be in the Netherlands, compared to your current salary, you can use a Cost of living converter

Depending on you nationality, you may need an MVV (provisional residence permit). This application will be done together with the application for your highly skilled migrant visa.

When the IND has made a decision regarding the MVV application, notification will be sent to you and to the relevant embassy. You will also receive a letter informing you that the migrant can pick up an MVV sticker at the Dutch embassy. The IND will then make a decision on the application for a residence permit, and will send this notification to you as well.

If you don't have a valid work permit for the Netherlands and a Dutch employer wants to hire you, the easiest way to acquire a work permit is via the Knowledge Migrant Procedure. There are 2 important basic criteria for a successful application:
1. the employer has be registered at the IND
2. the minimum annual gross salary needs to be at least € 50.619* or € 37.121* if you are younger then 30 years old

* salary criteria in 2011

Doctors in the Netherlands play an important role in the healthcare system. The doctor is the first port of call if you have health problems. Doctors have their practices in residential areas and operate on an appointment system. If necessary, the doctor will refer patients to a specialist at a hospital.

In the Netherlands, patients choose their own doctor. It is useful to choose one close to home. This has advantages in case of an emergency: doctors should be able to get to an emergency in fifteen minutes. Many practices have both male and female doctors. Inform them of any preferences.

Find doctors in your area using the website huisartsen.nl or zorgkaartnederland.nl (fill in your postcode in the second text box and click "zoek").

It is normal practice to interview a doctor. Take any medical records with you, as this enables the doctor to assess medical history and the patient to gauge the communication. Most speak good English, but it is not their native tongue. The initial meeting will normally be charged as a consultation. Health insurance covers the cost of a consultation.

The 30% reimbursement ruling (the 30% ruling) is a tax advantage for foreign employees working in the Netherlands. When a number of conditions are met, the employer can grant a tax free allowance amounting to 30% times 100/70 of the gross salary subject to Dutch payroll tax. This results in a maximum (effective) tax rate of approximately 36.4%. This tax free allowance is considered compensation for expenses a foreign employee experiences when working outside their home country.

Please note: As of April 2011, the Expatcenter formed an official co-operation with the tax department (Belastingdienst) regarding the 30% ruling. Applications can now be processed at the Expatcenter for non-EU highly skilled migrants.

In order to be eligible for the 30% ruling the following conditions have to be met:

1. The employee has to work for an employer.
In order to be eligible for the 30% ruling you have to be employed. If you are self-employed it is not possible to claim the 30% ruling. However, if you set up a UK Limited Company or Dutch BV and become an employee of that company, you are considered to be in an employment situation and consequently eligible for the 30% ruling.

2. Employer and employee have to agree in writing that the 30% ruling is applicable.
The application for the 30% ruling has to be done by both employer and employee. If the 30% ruling is applicable, the gross salary of the employee will be reduced by 30%. This can have implications for your potential unemployment or disability benefits since these benefits are based on taxable salary. Therefore the tax authorities require that both employer and employee are aware of these consequences. This agreement in writing can be done by means of a clause in your employment contract or as an addendum to the employment contract.

3. The employee has to transfer or be recruited from abroad to a Dutch employer.
It is only possible to claim the 30% ruling if you are transferred from abroad. You have to prove that you were residing in another country before you came to the Netherlands. The employer has to state by means of a letter of recommendation to the tax authorities the reason why he/she hired the employee and what makes the employee so special for the company. The employer may be asked to prove that they were not successful in finding an employee with comparable expertise in the Netherlands.

4. The employee has to have specific experience or expertise which is not or is rarely available in the Netherlands.
The employee has to have specific skills that are scarce in the Dutch labour market. These skills are determined by several facets such as salary, age, employment history, education and level of employment. None of these are conclusive but the combination of all aspects determines your specific skills.

Retrospective Period
The 30% ruling becomes effective retroactively if the application is submitted within 4 months after starting your employment contract. If the application is submitted after 4 months, it will become effective as of the first day of the month following the application month.

Duration
The maximum duration of the ruling is 10 years and will be reduced by other periods you have stayed in the Netherlands. After 5 years the tax authorities may ask the employer to prove that the employee still meets all the conditions.

A Dutch bank account is needed, once you start working here. Most banks are offering good package deals for highly educated people, which gives you discounts on lost of their financial products.
For opening a bank account you need the following documents:
* Dutch social security number (BSN)
* Employment contract
* Passport
* Rental agreement or a Dutch address where you are registered.

With simplified processes and applications, the Expatcenter aims to better meet the needs of international companies and their expatriate employees.

The Expatcenter procedure begins after the appropriate application forms have been send to the IND. Approximately four weeks later, the highly-skilled migrant can visit the Expatcenter to collect his or her residence permit and register with the municipality (GBA).

RAVE-cruitment is an official partner of the Expatcenter and has the expertise to apply and coordinate the whole highly-skilled migrant procedure. With a 100% success rate, your applications is in save hands.

In order to obtain a residence permit, you (or the person whom you represent) must be prepared to undergo a tuberculosis examination and, if necessary, treatment for tuberculosis. Together with the application for your residence permit, you need to submit a Declaration of Intent for a Tuberculosis Examination. You will be granted this permit on the specific condition that you actually undergo a tuberculosis examination within three months.
A Tuberculosis Examination can be done at the Municipal Health Service (GGD).

The examination requirement does not apply to citizens of the following countries: EU or EEA Member States, Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Surinam, the United States of America, and Switzerland (including Liechtenstein).

If you are a resident of the Netherlands, you are, in principle, obliged to take out Dutch health insurance, even if you are already insured back home. This ensures that every person is protected against the financial risks of illness and hospital admission. You are free to chose your own health insurer offering the basic package and are allowed to change insurers once a year. To register for health insurance, you will require a social security number (BSN).

The coverage of the standard package is determined by the government and includes medical care by specialists, GPs and midwives, hospital care, medication, rehabilitation, dental help for persons younger than 22, mental healthcare and necessary medical help during a holiday or business trip abroad.

Health insurance companies have an obligation to accept everyone for this package, irrespective of gender, age and health. Health insurance companies also offer additional premium plans. These may cover things such as physiotherapy, spectacles, dental care for persons 22 years and older, and alternative medicine. You will always have an excess or deductible of at least 150 euro.

If you have a foreign driving licence, in most cases you will have to redo your test in order to obtain a Dutch licence. However, if you benefit from the 30% ruling, you can switch your foreign driving licence without retaking the test.

You can exchange your licence for a Dutch one if you meet all of the following conditions:
* you live in the Netherlands and are registered with your local municipality
* you are from the EU, the EEA, Switzerland OR are from a country with a special agreement OR you have the 30% ruling
* you have a valid residence permit OR you are a citizen of the EU, EEA or Switzerland
* your current driving licence is valid
* your current driving licence, if issued in a country outside the EU , was issued after being a resident of that country for at least 185 days.

If you do not meet the above conditions or if you are from a country other than those listed on the Exception list (see below) you cannot exchange your licence for a Dutch one. This means you will need to take a standard theory and practical test at the Central Office for Motor Vehicle Driver Testing (CBR) (in Dutch only).

If you meet the above conditions for exchanging your driving license, you must submit your application at your local district council office (stadsdeelkantoor).

Children living in the Netherlands for any length of time are required to attend school. This means children must attend school from their 5th birthday until the end of the year of their 16th birthday. In practice, almost all children in the Netherlands are in school from the age of four.

Spouse, partner and children need to apply for a work & residence permit as well. A spouse/partner/child of a highly-skilled migrant will always get a permit, if all documents a correct and valid.