Amsterdam is working to increase their capacity to take in Ukrainian refugees from just 300 to 900 available spots this week.
A week ago, the Dutch government decided that each of the 25 security regions in the country must work towards receiving at least 1,500 Ukrainian refugees each.
To meet this goal, the municipality of Amsterdam has rented two ships docking at Java Eiland and a hotel, reports the NOS.
Preparing for Ukrainian refugees
At the moment, the city of Amsterdam only has the capacity for 300 incoming refugees. For now, a migration coordination centre has been set up at the RAI to appropriately welcome and register all incomers.
The municipality is still looking for more potential spaces and refugee shelters. In the meantime, a gym hall is being remodelled into an emergency reception centre.
Largest migration wave
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has triggered the largest wave of migration to Europe since the 1990s, writes the New York Times.
The Netherlands aims to play an active part in the reception of Ukrainians fleeing the devastating war in their country.
In total, the plan is to have the capacity for receiving around 25,000 Ukrainian refugees. 💙💛
What are you doing to help Ukrainian refugees? Tell us in the comments!
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is in London to talk to Boris Johnson (PM of the United Kingdom) and Justin Trudeau (PM of Canada) about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The Dutch PM arrived on Monday to attend three official talks: one between himself and Trudeau 🇨🇦, one with Johnson 🇬🇧, and one between all three parties.
The United Kingdom, Canada and the Netherlands all express their solidarity with Ukraine and their united support for one another.
Boris Johnson: “Our countries are united in their perspective. We believe in freedom, we believe in democracy, and we believe that Ukraine should be able to be a free, independent and sovereign nation.”
No military intervention, says Rutte
Apart from expressing their united solidarity towards Ukraine, the three PMs also agree that none of their countries will send a military intervention.
Or, as Rutte puts it: “What the West can do, we will do. But what we will not do is intervene militarily in Ukraine,” quotes AD. This could lead to a potential WWIII, which should be avoided at all costs.
And what is it that the West can do? Impose even more sanctions on Russia, according to the three prime ministers.
Rutte also thinks that NATO’s defence budget should receive another boost considering the ‘changed circumstance’. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has offered new insights on the future of NATO and calls to reform the Western defence alliance, according to the Dutch Prime Minister.
More collaboration in times of crisis
Rutte also emphasised that the three countries have historically stood united in times of crisis. The war in Ukraine casts a “black shadow” over Europe, and the three parties must work together towards peace.
Especially because with Putin in power, the West is faced with “an aggressor that crosses new boundaries.”
The internet had a laugh
All seriousness aside (at least for a split-second), the internet quite enjoyed watching the three PMs interact with each other.
Standing with Ukraine wasn’t the only thing that united the PMs on the day of the press conference: “When there’s patatfriet (potato fries) on the daily menu in the cantine.”
Lastly, this guy just straight-up hit the nail on the head of what international politics is all about:
What I like about these Downing St. photos is that even if you had no idea who these leaders were, you could effortlessly pick out which one is the wealthy scion of a political dynasty, which one’s the Churchill wannabe and which one was a middle manager for a peanut butter firm pic.twitter.com/zPZWffNC9P
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has affected many children and the Dutch are no exception. Children in the Netherlands struggle with fear, insecurity, and anxiety due to the war.
Every day, dozens of children call De Kindertelefoon (child phone) with questions and concerns about the war — many of whom feel like it’s getting closer than ever, reports RTL Nieuws.
What is De Kindertelefoon?
De Kindertelefoon employs 800 trusted volunteers who are willing and able to talk to children about anything.
For example, if the child has a problem but they don’t know who to talk to or don’t want to talk to someone they know, they can call De Kindertelefoon.
De Kindertelefoon is completely anonymous, so children call or chat about their problems, worries, and secrets without feeling judged. The organisation also set up a similar line/chat for young adults Alles Oké? (everything fine?).
Dutch children worry
Many children and young adults have never experienced war so close to them. Mariëlla Melissen, one volunteer from the organisation notices that they come in with worries and fears about the Russian invasion.
Some of them experience anxiety, problems sleeping, and feel confused about what’s going on. Some children ask for information and how they can help and volunteers try to explain the situation.
With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, oil prices across the world have skyrocketed. In response, the International Energy Agency (IEA)has released 60 billion barrels of oil from emergency stocks onto the international market.
Of these, 823,000 barrels are landing on the market in the Netherlands, reports NU.nl.
This is the first time in more than ten years that the Netherlands draws on its oil reserves. But how large are those reserves and what does it mean for fuel prices?
How large are the Dutch oil reserves?
The IEA was established in the aftermath of the 70s oil crisis to prevent countries from experiencing shortages in case of a war, boycott, or natural disaster.
Member countries must have enough oil in stock to last them ninety days, so now the clock has begun ticking for the Netherlands. ⌛
Here, the reserves are managed by the Central Organization for Stock Formation of Petroleum Products (COVA) which rents storage space from commercial companies.
The 823,000 barrels of Dutch oil reserves are stored both above and below ground in containers and stock areas. Some of them are even located abroad but can be in the country within three days.
Where the oil is located exactly remains unknown.
Why draw on emergency reserves?
Unlike the 1973 oil embargo, Russia is still willing to sell its oil to Western countries. However, many countries have decided to halt imports of Russian oil as a way of protesting the invasion of Ukraine.
Many companies have followed the same lead or are hesitant to use Russian oil — fearing a blow to their public image.
Shell received major criticism for stocking up on Russian oil before completely withdrawing its operations from the country. 👀
Will the fuel prices finally go down?
Speaking of public image, that seems to be the reason why the Netherlands is dipping into its emergency reserves.
According to NU.nl, the 823,000 oil barrels now released on the Dutch market is about the same as the total amount of oil used in the Netherlands in just one day.
So nope, filling up your car won’t be any cheaper. 😅
“Theoretically, more supply means a lower price,” says Paul van Selms of consumer collective UnitedConsumers. “But the panic among oil companies is now so great that 823,000 barrels are just a drop in the ocean.”
Oil companies are still increasing prices at the gas station by unprecedented amounts. Plus, some of the oil reserves are also used as kerosene for aviation or industry.
Van Selms believes the Netherlands’ decision to use its oil reserves is mostly symbolic.
What do you think of the decision to draw on emergency oil reserves? Tell us in the comments below!
Are we finally returning back to normality? Well, at least Dutch trains are. 🚂
Because of fewer coronavirus cases amongst its staff, Dutch railway service NS says that all trains will ride according to schedule again by the end of March, reports NU.nl.
The return back to normality will happen in steps. From March 14 onwards, all intercity trains between The Hague and Utrecht, as well as Utrecht and Rotterdam will be back on track.
From March 21 onwards, all trains will run just like before the last coronavirus wave. Mark the date. 🗓
Most importantly, we’ve got those every-ten-minute trains running again by the beginning of April. No more waiting and frantically checking the 9292-app for the latest updates!
Were you affected by the irregular Dutch train schedule? Tell us in the comments!
Grab your sunnies and leave your coat at home! The next few days promise increasingly warm temperatures in the Netherlands, with an extra boost during the weekend — reaching up to 17 degrees!
It is finally time to replenish those Vitamin D levels that were sucked away while we were hiding from the storms in February. Expect cooler weather on both Wednesday and Thursday and an increase in warmth during the weekend — perfect time to relax at the park! ☀️
NU.nl reports that this rise in temperature is fairly late compared to last year’s spring season: In February 2021 we were already basking in the spring sun…that is, after the snow melted. Though, at this point, aren’t we just happy to see the sun shining outside?
Warmer days and warmer nights
The temperature in the Netherlands does tend to drop as it reaches the nighttime, but this is now an issue of the past (until next fall of course). It’s common to joke that Dutch weather is a rather mysterious thing, but starting this Wednesday we can finally say goodbye to those frosty mornings!
Spring fever starting up your lentekriebels yet?
Lentekriebels are those little jitters you get at the end of the cold season in excitement of the upcoming warm spring weather! After long periods of chilly temperatures ❄️, our bodies are bound to feel thrilled when the sun begins to hug us with its warmth. Lentekriebels are just our human way of informing us that we’re looking forward to the toasty weather!
With things opening up again and the sun beaming through our windows, how are you planning on spending your time in the sun? Tell us in the comments below!
The RIVM has reported its weekly coronavirus figures from March 1 to March 8. The number of hospitalisations increased while the number of deaths has decreased.
Over the past week, the RIVM has reported 439,775 new infections in the Netherlands. This increased significantly compared to last week’s report of 245,898 infections.
The percentage of positive tests significantly increase, with 70.0% of people testing positive compared to 62.6% from the week before.
Deaths
The number of patients who have died from coronavirus-related complications continues to decrease compared to the past week. This week, 56 people passed away, compared to 63 people the previous week.
Hospitalisations
The number of admissions to the nursing ward slightly increased and the number of admissions in the ICU decreased. The past week saw1,089 new admissions to the nursing ward and82 new patients in the ICU.
The previous week, there were910 patients and 88 patients respectively.
Carnival season causing cases
The RIVM reported that positive tests increased by 79% over the last week — mostly due to carnival week and the relaxation of coronavirus measures in the Netherlands. Regions that celebrate carnival have particularly high recorded cases.
Just to give you an impression: the first map shows Dutch positive tests per 100,000 people. And the second map is the carnival parades throughout the Netherlands in the last week. 😬 Yeah.
Boosters for under-18s
In other news, starting yesterday, children aged 12 to 17 can get a coronavirus booster shot from the GGD. Young people can make an appointment with the GGD by phone starting this week, reports NU.nl.
According to the Dutch Health Council, the booster vaccination improves the effectiveness of the basic vaccination. The booster vaccination protects you from infection and serious illness from the omicron variant.
Yesterday’saction day for Ukraine was a huge success for the Netherlands. The nationwide fundraiser by Giro555 raised a whopping €106 million. 🇺🇦
According to the NOS, this is just a provisional amount — and the final total is expected to increase over the next few days.
What is Giro555?
Giro555 is a group of 11 aid organisations that came together and started a campaign for the victims of the war in Ukraine. All the proceeds go towards clean water, shelter, and medical supplies.
The fundraiser already collected €21.4 million in the early morning. Around noon, they raised €29.5 million, and in the early evening they had around €40.9 million.
Radio555 ran ten radio stations where people could request songs in exchange for a donation. The proceeds from commercial breaks also went to the fundraiser.
Dutch support
The Dutch Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Schreinemacher announced that the cabinet would allocate €15 million for emergency aid to Ukraine. This was already in addition to the €24.5 million promised earlier.
This action day is now Giro555’s third most successful fundraiser. The fundraiser for victims of the 2004 tsunami in Asia collected €208 million. After the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Giro555 collected €111 million.
Did you take part in Giro555? Are you helping with relief efforts in Ukraine another way? Tell us in the comments!
A team of 10 people from Genemuiden are providing hot meals for thousands of Ukrainians on the Polish border.
The team collected 7000 kilograms of meat, four pallets of french fries, and 1000 litres of frying oil to make a frietkar — a portable Dutch snackbar, reports the NOS.
Dutch hospitality at the border
The group of volunteers arrived at a refugee shelter near Korczowa last Thursday with their frietkar, a camper, and a refrigerated truck full of food.
They also brought hundreds of kilograms of cheese, fruit, and candy. The local butcher of Genemuiden supplied them with 600 litres of pea soup.
What’s happening now?
The volunteers work in an assembly line to provide everyone with food. “Everyone is so grateful. It makes a big impression on us because the conditions are bad here”, says Niek Brouwer, one of the initiators of the project.
Met 7 ton aan frites, biefstuk vd keurslager, erwtensoep 😃, kaas (!), fruit en veel meer, streken de heren uit Genemuiden met hun eettent neer in Korczowa voor de noodopvang voor vluchtelingen uit #Oekraïne. Nederlandse solidariteit op z'n best! pic.twitter.com/vi1r6B4Mpa
“With seven tons of chips, steak from the butcher, pea soup 😃 , cheese (!), fruit, and much more, the gentlemen from Genemuiden settled down with their dining tent in Korczowa for emergency shelter for refugees from #Ukraine. Dutch solidarity at its best!”
Stocks are running out quickly at the border, particularly the fries. But Brouwer says the truck is far from empty — the team just cannot work faster.
Residents from Genemuiden also set up rooms at a local residential care centre for incoming families. On top of that, they prepared a truck of fire equipment on its way to Ukraine.
The efforts to help are visible across the whole country. Dutch TV and radio channels have come together for a nationwide Giro555 fundraiser to support war victims in Ukraine.
How are you going to help Ukraine today? Tell us in the comments!
Tax returns — the grown-up matter we’ve all been somewhat ignoring is finally upon us: it’s time to file your taxes!
Being an expat in the Netherlands can make this process even more overwhelming than usual, but the money you could receive back makes the time and effort worth it (trust us).
Let’s get an expert look at how to do your tax return in the Netherlands as an international, shall we? 🧐
Before we start: you need to know what you’re doing. In 2022 you will be filing for your 2021 tax returns. This means that you are filing for the earnings that you made last year. In 2023, you will file for your 2022 earnings — and so on. 😉
When is the Dutch income tax season?
A mysterious blue envelope might have slipped through your mailbox recently, inviting you to the magical wizarding school of…oh no sorry, inviting you to file for tax returns.
However, if you don’t receive one of these blue invitations, it doesn’t mean you’re not eligible to file for tax returns in the Netherlands.
In this case, speaking to a tax consultant is a good way to know if you are eligible to get any money back.
Why do you need to file a tax return?
As much as we all dread this process, it’s an important one to complete as it can save you heaps of money when done.
You can also be fined if you don’t submit, and your toeslagensituation can also be affected. In short: file, or lose a bunch of cash.
The deadline: submit by April 30, 2022
You will need to have submitted your tax return forms by April 30 at the latest — set a reminder, put it in your calendar, tattoo this date into your brain if you have to.
Some Dutchies will be stressing to have this done by April 1, as then they can potentially get a refund by July 1. But this is not necessary and is only for those wanting to get money back as soon as possible.
Good to know: If you miss the April 30 deadline, you can apply for an extension (a tax advisor can help you with this).
Important dates for tax in the Netherlands
When
What
January 1
Beginning of tax year for individuals
April 1
Potential early refund deadline
April 30
General tax return deadline
April 1 – June 1
Apply for extension
July 1
Receive potential early tax refund
September 1
Extended deadline for individuals who apply for extension
April 30 (the following year)
Latest date tax return deadline can be extended by a tax consultant
Personal tax deductions in the Netherlands
Before we get stuck in, let’s start with the good news! There’s a whole range of personal deductible items that are valid for your 2021 tax return to be filed in 2022.
What are personal deductible items you may ask? Put simply, your personal situation may mean that you are entitled to claim money back on the tax you are due to pay.
How to file taxes in the Netherlands. Time to get stuck in the paper-work! Image: Unsplash
The items that entitle you to tax deductions change each year, however, so it might be wise to consult a tax advisor if you’re not completely sure about how and if you can deduct certain costs.
Let’s run through some situations that may entitle you to personal tax deductions in the Netherlands this tax season. 💪
Tax deductions when you own a house in the Netherlands
First of all, we’ll start with the lovely Dutch word of hypotheekrenteaftrek, translating to “mortgage interest deduction.” Under this, you can declare the interest you pay on your mortgage and deduct it from the amount of your taxable income, on which you have to pay taxes.
Certain costs that you paid when buying a house are also deductible from taxes. These costs include valuation costs, the fee for the NHG (National Mortgage Guarantee) and some of the notary fees relating to the mortgage loan.
If you’re confused about what tax deductions you are entitled to as a homeowner there’s no need to pull your hair out. A good tax accountant can take the wheel for you.
Tax deductions for charitable donations in the Netherlands
Fun fact: in the Netherlands, you can also claim tax deductions for certain charitable donations that you made throughout the year!
The charities must be recognised as an “institution or organisation for public benefit” and have a non-profit motive. Give a little, get a little truly applies here!
Averaging tax in the Netherlands
Ok, now that we’ve talked about tax benefits, it’s time to discuss averaging. 🤓
What is averaging?
Are you a freelancer? Is your work seasonal or commissions-based? Maybe you’ve had different jobs in the past three years, or went through a patch of unemployment?
If so, you’ve had what they call a fluctuating income. In this case, your income tax over the past three years can be averaged out, and you can get significant refunds.
Note: As of 2023, the Netherlands will get rid of averaging. This means that you will be taxed based on your yearly income only from 2023 onwards.
How much are we talking about and how can you get it?
The difference in tax when averaging needs to exceed €545 since you will only get the surplus refunded. But bear in mind you’ll need to meet some other conditions too in order to apply for an averaging refund:
You have been a resident of the Netherlands for all three years which you wish you average.
You need to have a Final Tax Assessment for each of these three years, where you no longer can file an objection if you filed a tax return.
You’ll need to fill out a separate request within 36 months after the date of the Final Tax Assessments.
You cannot include a year for which you have already filed an averaging request.
Have an advisor help you
If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, do yourself a favour and get some help from a tax advisor.
They can help you check whether you are entitled to a refund over the three years combined and fill out the form, so you can get that surplus of €545 added to your bank account. Score!
Filing a tax return as an international in the Netherlands
Life as an international can sometimes be overwhelming and throwing tax season into that mix can be one heck of a confusing cocktail.
But bear with us, there are actually some advantages to being a bamboozled expat when it comes to taxes in the Netherlands.
Dutch tax season looks like this, but less pen and more blue envelopes. Image: Unsplash
The 30% ruling — for incoming employees
Have you been hired to come and work in the Netherlands? Or have you been transferred to the Netherlands as part of your work?
Under the 30% ruling, eligible incoming employees are granted a 30% fiscal break in order to cover their costs of moving to the Netherlands.
What does this entail? You may be entitled to keeping 30% of your wage, including reimbursement for moving costs — tax-free!
However, it’s important to bear in mind that there are a number of strict conditions that have to be met in order to be eligible for the 30% ruling.
Additionally, how long this allowance lasts depends on when you applied for the ruling. Finally, you need to apply for (and be approved) for the ruling by the government.
But we’re not complaining — something is better than nothing after all!
Filing taxes in the Netherlands and another country: how to avoid double taxation
As is the case with many expats, you might have income coming from more than one country, or assets in more than one country.
The risk here is that you get taxed twice, which, of course, you want to avoid.
Unfortunately, every situation is different — so it’s best to chat with a tax advisor about your unique setup to save you some serious cash.
The different tax forms in the Netherlands
Just when you thought filing your taxes in the Netherlands was confusing enough, you then find out that there are many different forms for different taxes/circumstances. The four main income tax forms are:
C Form – Foreign residents that are earning money in the Netherlands but living/working in a different country
P Form – Private individuals
W Form – Freelancers and business owners that are making money
M Form – For people who have migrated to or from the Netherlands
The infamous M-form: a guide for expats in the Netherlands
Let’s talk about the M Form. The M stands for migration, meaning — you guessed it — you must fill it out when filing your tax return for the year you either migrate to, or leave, the Netherlands as a taxpayer. 🌎
In this situation, you have usually spent part of the year living abroad and part of the year in the Netherlands, so the Dutch tax office needs to figure out just how much tax you should pay!
Usually, the Dutch tax authorities will send you an invitation to file your tax returns. The deadline for this is normally July 1.
Note: The M-Form is only for the year that you immigrate to/migrate from the Netherlands. Once you have lived and worked in the Netherlands for an entire year as a tax-paying resident, you file for your tax returns using a P-Form.
When you migrate to the Netherlands, the form comes in two parts, however, it’s all compiled into one form.
The first part concerns your situation while you were outside of the Netherlands, and the next part concerns your situation while in the Netherlands.
There are a number of complicated factors involved in filling out the M-form. Firstly, it’s 43 pages long, and entirely in Dutch (because that makes sense?)
However, there’s also good news! As of 2022, this form can be filled out online — yes, it was all done on paper up until now.
It is strongly recommended that you turn to a tax advisor when it comes to dealing with the monstrosity that is the M-form.
What has changed in 2022 for filing taxes in the Netherlands
A few changes were made for taxation in the Netherlands last year, which will affect how you file for tax refunds now (2022). Here’s what you need to be aware of:
Last year to claim tax deductions for students
Up until 2022, certain degrees in the Netherlands entitled you to a tax deduction.
If your degree was deemed to be one that helps you, a taxpayer, to secure a better position in the labour market — then you could claim money back on essential costs such as examination fees, certain software and any books/study materials that were necessary for your course.
It will be possible to claim a deduction for education expenses in your 2021 Dutch income tax return, but you better savour it, 2021 will be the last year. From the 2022 Dutch tax year onwards, this tax benefit has been ditched.
Income tax will be slightly lower
In good news, income tax rates will drop slightly this year for those who fall within the first bracket — meaning net salaries will be slightly higher. Whoopee! These are the Dutch tax brackets for 2022.
Income
Tax rate (%)
Below €69,398
37.07%
Above €68,398
49.5%
What is a tax consultant and do I need one as an expat in the Netherlands?
Get advice from the experts when completing your taxes in the Netherlands. Image: Unsplash
Personal advice and tailored approach
A tax consultant will advise you on your tax situation. They will make sure you are aware of your obligations as well as any possibilities to lessen your tax burden.
If you like, they can also deal with your tedious administrative affairs for you, so you don’t have to fill out that M-form. 👀
But the most valuable thing a tax consultant can offer is proactive insight. They can let you know how to minimise your tax liability before you even ask, and they’ll quickly be able to provide you with in-depth knowledge of your tax situation.
In a nutshell? They may help you save money in areas you would not have seen yourself.
Feeling a little less scared of that pesky blue envelope? Tell us your Dutch tax experiences in the comments below!
