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Car mechanic and colleague look smiling into the camera

Source: VluchtelingenWerk / Goedele Monnens

News

You may work more than 24 weeks per year from now on

Published at: 29/11/2023, 00:00

With a W-document you are now allowed to work more than 24 weeks per year. This was decided by the highest court in the Netherlands. Previously you were only allowed to work 24 weeks per year. The court has now abolished this rule.

A man and his employer successfully filed the lawsuit

A man, who is still waiting for his asylum residence permit, wanted to continue working beyond 24 weeks. His employer also wanted this. However, the

Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen (UWV)

refused to give the Employer a new

work permit (TWV)

The UWV did this because of the "24-weken-eis" (24-week requirement). This is a rule that says a person without a residence permit cannot work more than 24 weeks in a year.

The court rules that claim does not help refugees

A court in Arnhem previously ruled that this 24-week requirement stops refugees from working. The UWV disagreed and appealed. Now the highest appeals court is ruling that the requirement violates European rules and therefore allows you to work more than 24 weeks a year.

The new rules take effect immediately

The court's ruling takes effect immediately. This means that this ruling now applies to everyone who has been in the Netherlands for more than 6 months and has a W-document. The UWV must now assess applications for work permits without using the 24-week requirement to do so.

This means that not only the individual who filed the lawsuit is allowed to work more than 24 weeks, but anyone who has been in the Netherlands for more than 6 months and has a W-document is allowed to work more

Employers are also pleased that with the court's ruling

According to the organisation

RefugeeConnect

, employers are happy with this court ruling. In the Volkskrant

newspaper, the organisation says employers are eager to hire refugees now that they are allowed to work longer than 24 weeks a year.

Work

On this page you can find what you need to know about work if you have applied for asylum and have a W-document for 1 year.

More information

You also need a personal number (BSN) to work

In order to work in the Netherlands, you will need a

citizen service number (BSN)

. This is because this personal number allows you to open a Dutch bank account. And you must have this if you work in the Netherlands. There can be long waiting times for applying for a BSN. If you already have a job but not yet a BSN, you can ask the

Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA)

for priority.

This is how you get a personal number (BSN) to handle your affairs in the Netherlands

On this page you can read how to get a citizen service number (BSN).

More information

This is how you get a personal number (BSN) to handle your affairs in the Netherlands

On this page you can read how to get a citizen service number (BSN).

More information

You may work more than 24 weeks per year from now on

A man and his employer successfully filed the lawsuit

The court rules that claim does not help refugees

The new rules take effect immediately

Employers are also pleased that with the court's ruling

Work

You also need a personal number (BSN) to work

This is how you get a personal number (BSN) to handle your affairs in the Netherlands

This is how you get a personal number (BSN) to handle your affairs in the Netherlands

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