Reply to: Amsterdam Newbie

[DS23]

is the money worth the extra hassle?

on the whole - yes. i've spent 3 years in and around amsterdam on various jobs and would be quite happy to go back again. i'd be after a higher rate though and a 5 days in 4 routine.

you will probably have to go through a dutch msc. the last time i used albany - they served me well. the time before that was itecs and they did not.

do you have family commitments? you need to get those sorted - cos that kind of hassle can ruin your life.

[expat]

I've just left after a year, fantastic city, easy to live and work in. Yes it's worth it! The Dutch are great people; don't eat FEBO.

Wonder if you've got the role I left

"Yes it's worth it!"

Are you sure? The OP did say "I'm not interested in new life experiences in Amsterdam just if the money is worth the extra hassle." Is the money worth the extra hassle?

I'm not sure it is. OK the OP should be able to get the 30% deduction*, and HMRC should accept NL as having "taxing right" so there should be no more tax to pay in the UK. But there is hassle: wondering whether HMRC will accept this (if not, there is more tax to pay), wondering what to do about NICs (health coverage, pension), and of course finding accommodation and paying the expenses.

Yes it's interesting (and I'd do it), but the OP specifically asked us to discount that.

* 30%: foreign workers hired from outside NL for certain skilled work are allowed 30% of their income free of Dutch tax. This brings their tax down to about UK levels.
This is a specific allowance that must be applied for by the Dutch employer before the employee starts working in NL. If you get that allowance, you can't then claim your flights, hotels, and meals: it's expected to cover expenses that are related to your coming from abroad.

[EternalOptimist]

Still I remember way back in 1999ish I was at the tail end of a contact near Den Haag - was sent to the clients office in Adam for a meeting then told that meeting was three hours late - so to pass the time I found myself in an Adam brothel in the AchterBurgWaalStraat - I must now empahsise that I was ther purely on a social research role.

Honest Mum.

However I calculated that during my session I was still earning more than the 'sexual therapist' whom I intervieed - quite a nice feeling that.

Well, you;re alowed to be a wee bit smug once in a while.

For all the down side - Holland still can be quite a fun place to be.

I liked it. We stayed on the Botel and spent a lot of time in the 'Free Adam'
The missus got her purse nicked on the way back to the airport. Back home I bought a one pound wallet and stuffed it with monopoly money and a note saying 'fck you'.
Next time we went, a few months later, it got lifted out of my back pocket. How we laughed.

[AlfredJPruffock]

They are rubbish at names as well. Last time I was there they kept calling me 'Charlie' as I wondered the streets at night

Still I remember way back in 1999ish I was at the tail end of a contact near Den Haag - was sent to the clients office in Adam for a technical meeting then told that meeting was three hours late - so to pass the time I found myself in an Adam brothel in the AchterBurgWaalStraat - I must now empahsise that I was ther purely on a social research role.

Honest Mum.

However I calculated that during my session I was still earning more than the 'sexual therapist' whom I interviewed - quite a nice feeling that.

Well, you;re alowed to be a wee bit smug once in a while.

For all the down side - Holland still can be quite a fun place to be.

PS just wondering before somebody replied with indignation 'I never pay for Sex' to which I always reply - are you still a Virgin ?

[oracleslave]

They are rubbish at names as well. Last time I was there they kept calling me 'Charlie' as I wondered the streets at night

wandered

[EternalOptimist]

They are rubbish at names as well. Last time I was there they kept calling me 'Charlie' as I wondered the streets at night

[Mich the Tester]

Hi all

Good advice thanks.
I don't think that I am interested then. The rate sounds good but I do not think that it will be worth the hassle of extra tax complications and living away expenses.

Cheers all

Even if taxes for freelancers are less than in the UK? Speak to a Dutch accountant before making a decision; it’s not that much hassle and you might find you can get some serious tax advantages. Try www.gibogroep.nl

[AlfredJPruffock]

i spent 6 months in Amsterdam a few years back, and was stuck working beside some consultancy based staff as described above

they would have fed you to the dogs if they could!

I only survived as the job requried security and so I had my own dog on site.

[AlfredJPruffock]

Bizarre, I've had the exact opposite experience with Dutch consultants, even got asked for my CV by one of the consultancy firms!

I would imagine they wanted your CV for leads - you didnt fall for that old trick ?

[s2budd]

Hi all

Good advice thanks.
I don't think that I am interested then. The rate sounds good but I do not think that it will be worth the hassle of extra tax complications and living away expenses.

Cheers all

[Spacecadet]

Dutch contractors are often full time staff from Dutch Consultancies who are on normal wages and full job security - be very careful of this spieces as they will not be on your side at all.

Bizarre, I've had the exact opposite experience with Dutch consultants, even got asked for my CV by one of the consultancy firms!

[Mich the Tester]

i spent 6 months in Amsterdam a few years back, and was stuck working beside some consultancy based staff as described above

they would have fed you to the dogs if they could!

I’ve worked for a Dutch consultancy and I’d second that. ‘Consultants’ are appraised partly on their ability to shift colleagues in and others out of ClientCo and receive guidance from their politically savvy account managers in how to do this. Happily many of them go freelance after they get sick of the politics, as I did, and you’ll find it’s not difficult to build a good network among Dutch freelancers who are generally a pretty good crowd.

[jmo21]

i spent 6 months in Amsterdam a few years back, and was stuck working beside some consultancy based staff as described above

they would have fed you to the dogs if they could!

[Mich the Tester]

You will be expected to be productive from day one - do not discuss rates ever as the Dutch keep a mental inventory of everything you have and can turn very nasty if they think you are on a better deal than they are.

Dutch contractors are often full time staff who are on normal wages - be very careful of this spieces as they will not be on your side at all.

And dont be fooled into thinking they are liberal and laid back - they are in fact conserative in outlook.

True. They have memories like elephants and can get very jealous. They don’t generally appreciate ‘bling’ so don’t go flashing it about. Bling is seen as being rather ‘parvenu’, for people who’ve made silly amounts of money in a dodgy way and haven’t acquired any taste along the way. I tend to agree with them on that.

They're not liberal; they 'tolerate' but definitely disapprove of foreign pervs who come to visit prostitutes, smoke pot and get drunk.

[AlfredJPruffock]

You will be expected to be productive from day one - do not discuss rates ever as the Dutch keep a mental inventory of everything you have and can turn very nasty if they think you are on a better deal than they are.

Dutch contractors are often full time staff from Dutch Consultancies who are on normal wages and full job security - be very careful of this spieces as they will not be on your side at all.

And dont be fooled into thinking they are liberal and laid back - they are in fact conservative in outlook.