Perhaps thought a thing of the past, discrimination is still alive and well in the Dutch labour market. Recent surveys show that a large percentage of job applicants have felt discriminated against because of their gender, origin, and age.
In a survey by Intermediary and Nationale Vacaturebank, over 2,100 respondents were asked about their experiences with discrimination in the labour market. The respondents included employees, employers, and jobseekers.
According to the survey, 55% of current employees report being discriminated against during the hiring process. The most frequently reported source of discrimination is age (53%), followed by origin (27%), and then gender (18%).
The highest percentage of discrimination regarding origin was among applicants with a Turkish, Surinamese, Moroccan, or Antillean background: 76% report experiencing discrimination during the application process.
One survey respondent, Eveline Gillot (33) says that she was turned down for a job because of her pregnancy. She tells Intermediair, “Eventually I was called back with a member of the board – the company then had a three-headed male board – and I was told: yes, super annoying, but we decided to do the second choice. We think it is a risk that you are pregnant and we don’t know how to come back after that.”
An interesting note is that employers share a quite different perspective: while 73% of the unemployed and 57% of salaried employees view discrimination as a problem, only 43% of employers consider it an issue.
On July 3, a diversity bill was approved by the Council of Ministers for a growth quota for women on the supervisory boards of large public and private companies. Their aim is to balance the proportion of men and women at the top and bottom of the company. The bill will be evaluated after five years.
We’ve lived through uncertain times these past few months, so you might be wondering whether you should still go ahead and buy a house in the Netherlands during these weird times. Coronavirus has impacted us all in different ways and the housing market is also a tad bit different, so we sat down with Wouter Hofstee Holtrop from Expat Mortgages to have a chat about buying a house in corona times.
Expat Mortgages is a Dutch mortgage agency operating all across the Netherlands, and helps internationals navigate the Dutch property market. They’re the experts on the housing market here, so we’ve teamed up with them to bring you this article about what you can expect if you want to buy a house in the Netherlands during the coronavirus crisis. We asked Wouter some of the questions we’d been wondering about when it comes to what the Dutch housing market looks like during the coronavirus crisis.
What is the housing market like at the moment in the Netherlands?
When you’re buying a house, your first question is probably about what the housing market looks like at the moment. That can massively influence where and what kind of house you decide to buy, as well as if you can buy what you want. The importance of this question has only increased in recent times, as everything has been uncertain due to coronavirus- so of course, it was the first thing we asked Wouter when we had our chat with him.
Luckily, according to Wouter, the housing market in the Netherlands has remained relatively stable; and, as the country (hopefully) comes out of the crisis for good, that doesn’t look set to change. Although some experts and banks believed that house prices would crash at the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, they’ve been proved wrong by the evidence, Wouter says. House prices around the country have remained steady or even increased. This is really all down to the fact that there has been a housing crisis in the Netherlands for the past few years, and even with coronavirus at play, that shortage isn’t going anywhere (more below on what the housing market in the Netherlands might look like in the long term).
Meet Wouter! Wouter lives in Overveen, a small beach city near Haarlem, which is attracting lots of expats to live there as well. Ask him everything about mortgages in the Netherlands if you’re in that region (and don’t worry if you’re not in that region, Expat Mortgages has advisors in every region of the Netherlands). Image: Supplied
How do house viewings work during the coronavirus crisis?
Given that the Dutch government has been encouraging people to stay home as much as they can, another question you might be wondering about is how house viewings work. “At the beginning of the crisis, house viewings dropped by 65%, but that number has now risen again,” Wouter says. Generally speaking, how houses viewings work hasn’t changed all that much, though of course you can’t shake hands when you meet your estate agent. You should also keep a 1.5m distance from each other and wash your hands often.
Something you might not realise, Wouter notes, is that house viewings are a bit more pleasant than usual at the moment. If you’ve ever gone to a house viewing before coronavirus, then you might remember that sometimes you would have up to 25 people crowded into a small apartment. Now, of course, that doesn’t happen. You’ll have a viewing alone with your estate agent, and this can really work to your benefit, Wouter adds. “You can ask more questions, take your time, and you’re alone in the property.”
There are actually some advantages to buying a house during the coronavirus crisis in the Netherlands. Image: Carina Persson/ Pixabay
Are banks still giving out mortgages in the Netherlands during coronavirus?
Now, unless you’re in a very good financial position, you’ll probably need to get a mortgage to buy a house in the Netherlands. Many of us will have panicked memories of the 2008 crisis, when it became more difficult to get a mortgage from most banks. However, this hasn’t happened with the coronavirus crisis, even though there have definitely been fears that this was a possibility.
Banks are definitely still loaning money to people who want to get a mortgage. The usual requirements will, of course apply: among others, that you have either an indefinite contract or proof that you’re otherwise in stable employment. Banks also have more questions than usual, and require a bit of extra documentation. You’ll be asked to provide a document explaining how coronavirus has impacted the company you work for, and they might also check to see if you have extra savings, so that you could pay the mortgage for a few months if you were to lose your job, for example.
However, Wouter says that not a single client of Expat Mortgages has been turned down by a bank as a result of these new requirements. One of their clients was even a freelance hospitality worker, and was still able to get a mortgage. The most important thing is to approach the right bank, which is exactly what Expat Mortgages can help you with. They don’t work with any particular bank: instead, they do all the research to make sure that they know what each bank can offer you.
If you feel like your situation is a bit special, or just that you’d like a second pair of eyes on it before going to a bank, then we really recommend getting a mortgage broker like Expat Mortgages.
Banks are still giving out mortgages in the Netherlands- you just need to know which to approach. Image: na4ev/Pixabay
New rule makes it easier for renters to become homeowners in the Netherlands
Also, in some ways, getting a mortgage might be a little easier these days, Wouter pointed out. Some of us might have already experienced the frustration that is not being able to get a mortgage, even though you would pay less for it than what you currently pay in rent. Celebration time: that’s no longer the case for many people! A new workaround now makes it possible for an “explain” document to be submitted to the bank.
This document basically allows you to get a slightly higher mortgage if you can show that you’ve been paying €1000 a month in rent (or more) and still managed to save alongside. That could also apply if you’ve been paying back a student loan every month, and also managed to save alongside. Basically it’s all about showing that you can definitely pay your mortgage with cash to spare.
What is the housing market like in Amsterdam?
Now, we know our audience: you guys are often interested in Amsterdam specifically. So how is the housing market looking in Amsterdam at the moment? After all, the Dutch capital is often an exception to the rest of the country in a whole host of ways. The housing market in Amsterdam is often a bit faster to react to economic changes, and things also just tend to move faster there when it comes to buying a house. “The whole process can take 5-6 weeks in other parts of the country,” says Wouter, “but in Amsterdam you’re looking at 3-4 weeks.”
Generally speaking, not much has changed in Amsterdam. In the first quarter of this year, which includes the first month of the coronavirus crisis, house prices rose rather than fell. The only sector of the market that is functioning a bit differently at the moment is the higher segments, which have been imaged by the ban on Airbnbs in the city centre and by fewer international buyers. But high demand continues, so you probably won’t be finding your dream Amsterdam house for a few euro any time soon.
The role of digital signatures during corona times
One other thing which has changed a little in the process of buying a house in corona times is signing documents. Digital signatures are more commonly accepted by banks, at least as a temporary measure. This was actually something that was already in progress, Wouter explained: for many years banks and notaries have been encouraged to accept digital signatures, but have been slow about doing so. Coronavirus has finally encouraged a wider acceptance of the practice.
Digital signatures extremely helpful if you’re buying a house while abroad, for example (many expats returned to their home countries at the beginning of the crisis). It’s also helpful if you have an underlying medical condition that makes you feel unsafe physically meeting people at the moment; or if you need to quarantine for other reasons. Something you might also not think about is how often you would usually have to meet up with your notary and the bank: at least twice with the notary and about the same with the bank. It’s really great to see this sort of contact being minimised while we fight coronavirus.
What can we expect from the Dutch housing market in the long run?
One thing you can be sure when it comes to the housing market in the Netherlands: the aesthetics are perfection. Image: Chait Goli/Unsplash
What can we expect in the long run from the Dutch housing market? Some analysts think that we could see a slight drop in housing prices as a result of coronavirus, particularly if we get a second wave, or the expats who have left the Netherlands do not return in the long term. However, the housing shortage in the Netherlands is also pretty severe, so Wouter says it’s a possibility that house prices wouldn’t drop regardless.
The housing crisis has been a long-term problem in the Netherlands, and has arisen because of several factors. Over the past decades, we’ve seen the number of people who live together in a house decline (smaller families are becoming more common), while the population has continued to grow. The regulations brought in to deal with the nitrogen crisis made it temporarily more difficult for new building work to take place. The Netherlands is also just a small country with a rising population and not a lot of free space. Airbnb rentals have also cramped the market in major cities like Amsterdam, though this shouldn’t be a problem any more.
We can also expect Brexit to play a role (remember Brexit?). Major companies are already relocating to the Netherlands, and that trend is likely to continue. They will bring at least some of their workers with them, which means that there will be an increase in demand for housing for expats. All this together means that even if there is slightly less demand for houses as a result of the coronavirus crisis, the prices of houses probably won’t be changing much in the near future.[td_smart_list_end]
Navigating the Dutch housing market with Expat Mortgages
It’s always good to have an expert on your side when you’re making a major life decision: and I think we can all agree that buying a house is certainly that. Especially in these uncertain times, when everyone has a theory on what’s going to happen to the economy, it’s so worth talking to someone who really knows their stuff. Even though we’re not personally buying a house, sitting down (virtually) with Wouter and asking him all our questions made everything so much clearer. If you’re in the process of buying a house, or are just curious about the possibilities, definitely head over to Expat Mortgages and ask them for advice.
What are your experiences of buying a house in the Netherlands? Let us know in the comments below.
Fantastic news for those of us in the Netherlands — a heatwave is in our midst! Well, fantastic if you like the heat, of course.
After last Friday’s tropical hot weather, you’d think that summer has peaked and that we’re back to our regular dreary Dutch weather — but you’d be wrong. While the start of this week is relatively cool, we’ll have more tropical weather later this week, reports Weerplaza.
The weather pre-heatwave
Tuesday will be a relatively cool, like today, however without any showers. The temperature will be around 22 degrees.
The temperature will start to pick up after Wednesday. There will still be the chance of a smattering of rain, but we’ll be having 25 degrees that day.
The summer weather will really start to shine from Thursday, reaching temperatures of between 25 to 31 degrees.
Chance of a heatwave
Warm tropical air will arrive on Dutch shores from Friday. We may experience a full-blown heatwave. Temperatures could rise to 37 degrees in some areas, particularly in the south-east. The Netherlands officially considers it a heatwave if temperatures are over 25 degrees five days in row, three of which must be over 30 degrees.
Whatever the case, stock up on sunscreen for the coming days and stay hydrated!
An accident in Oos last night has lead to one person injured and a car completely in flames.
NOS reported that a vehicle collided with a police car. One of the victims deceased, while another was taken to the hospital. The condition of the police officer is currently unknown.
A lot of the details surrounding the accident are not yet known. From initial reports, it seemed the car collided with the back of the police car. The car then went off into some bushes where it stopped and caught on fire. Debris was thrown around the scene and according to bystanders, two other cars were also damaged.
A Polish man who tried to save some children in the water near Julianadorp has been found dead.
The incident happened this Sunday afternoon, reports NOS. The man was 37 years old and from Poland. He tried to save three children who went into the waters. The children managed to return to the shores safely, but the Polish man disappeared.
He later washed ashore, where rescue services attempted to resuscitate him. Taken to the hospital, he, unfortunately, passed away.
The Coast Guard warned that there were strong currents on Sunday afternoon. A 15-year-old child was also found dead near Monster after he was carried out at sea by the strong currents last Friday. He wasn’t the only child to succumb to the seas in the past months, and a 14-year-old girl was also found after drowning near Ameland some weeks ago.
Two people were arrested upon landing in Ibiza on Friday, after a fight on a KLM flight.
NOS reported that a drunken man refused to wear a face mask on a KLM flight, which lead to a fight with other passengers. Masks are mandatory on all KLM flights.
“Stoppen nu, er zijn kinderen hiero!”Knokpartij op @klm vlucht naar Ibiza. Dronken passagier weigert mondkapje te dragen ✈️
— The Mic High Club Luchtvaart Podcast (@MicHighClub) August 2, 2020
A spokesperson from KLM reported that the fight took place on Friday. The flight was on-route from Schiphol to Ibiza. Further details are a bit sketchy, but from this thread in this tweet on it we learn that the shirtless man was in fact, surprise, British (Scottish even). His buddy and he were arrested when landing at Ibiza.
We’re going to Ibiza and so many other things happening
There are countless of other details happening in this video; the other people without masks, the drunken swing by the bald guy, the friendly chat while there are like 3 knees on the dude’s back, the ‘will-someone-please-think-of-the-children-cliche’ and the fact that this song was playing in the back of your head.
After somewhere a bit different in Rotterdam? Have you done the other Rotterdam sights to death and looking for somewhere new to explore? Well, Rotterdam actually has a few beaches and lakes for you to enjoy – some a little more hidden than others. And with this beautiful summer that we are having, now is your time to go and visit them. So without further ado, here are 6 lakes and beaches in Rotterdam for you to enjoy this summer in Rotterdam.
1. The Esch
We’ll start with the smallest beach. Don’t judge a book by its cover though – this small little collection of sand has some of the best views over the Rotterdam skyline. That’s definitely something beaches don’t usually have. If you get here earlier enough, you can blag a patch here to sunbathe and to dip your feet in the water. As you can see, it’s located on the south-side of the river. Get there early though, as you can’t fit many people here.
Now this is what you call a beach! Hoek van Holland is a large and beautiful beach that is located only 30 mins away from the center. It has water sports, shops, bars, restaurants and ample space to sunbathe and swim. It’s accessible by car or train and definitely isn’t as cramped as other big beaches. If you’re looking to park though, come early! Think Scheveningen, yet a Rotterdam version.
3. Nesselande
There is plenty of space for you to enjoy at Nesselande. With great views, skating, food and ice cream and the opportunity to BBQ on the beach, then why not enjoy what it has to offer? It’s also super easy to get to, which makes it even more of a bonus. Again, this is one of those places where it is best to get there early. However, there is nothing stopping you from going there just for a nice walk or cycle.
A post shared by Kimberley (@kimberleygrootendorst) on
4. The Kralingse Plas
This is a mixture of both ‘park’ and ‘beach’ – with lots of fresh grass and a lovely sandy patch. There is also an outdoor slide in the water ( not just for kids 😉 ) and plenty of wildlife too. Don’t worry, they also have toilets and restaurants, so there is ample facilities. It’s basically a lovely area, surrounded by grass, trees, water and sand. The perfect spot to take your family for the day!
5. Maasvlakte 2
From this beach you have views of the port, lots of sand, a kids play area in the water and places to swim. It’s the perfect place to take your family. However, careful of the water here though, as the tide has been known to be strong. Other than that, it’s a beautiful place to lay down your sunbed and catch some rays.
This little beach is located in Heijplaat, which is a little village located within the port of the Rotterdam. If you head down the little “secret” path, alongside the houses, you’ll find yourself on this quiet beach. You can sunbathe and watch the ships pass by between the ports. It’s the perfect place to escape from city life or to go for a quiet walk. Again, this is popular with the locals, so it can get pretty busy.
So, there you have it. 6 new places for you to head to this summer in Rotterdam. Which is your favourite?
Do you have any nice spots or beaches in Rotterdam that you love to go to? Let us know in the comments. While you’re here, don’t forget to join our DutchReview Facebook group – c’mon, you know you wanna! 😉
Thinking about going to the beach today, given that it’s the hottest day of the year? Well, so did the rest of the Netherlands.
The trains are also completely packed. According to the NOS, in the trains from Amsterdam Centraal to Zaandvort, it is impossible to maintain social distancing. Additional trains have been deployed to handle the influx of beachgoers.
The roads going to the coast are full of beachgoers. The roads going to Zaandvort and Castricum are filled with traffic jams, reports NOS. Meanwhile, an accident on a highway has led to a traffic jam of more than 20 kilometres, according to Omroep Zeeland.
Ga je vandaag de weg op? Houd rekening met files en vertragingen door recreatie- en vakantieverkeer. 🚗🚙 Onze collega's houden je in een #liveblog op de hoogte van het laatste nieuws rondom de #vakantiefiles.👇 https://t.co/Ohy773ZV5n
The municipality in Noordwijk has also requested that people stop coming by car, as all parking spaces are full. People can still come with public transport and bicycles, however.
Extra measures are being taken to enforce social distancing. Some roads and parking spots have been closed and more enforcers have been deployed throughout the beach municipalities.
Also on a rush today to the beach? Try your best to stay safe and respect social distancing!
Summer is finally here! At least for today, as the weather will drop back to around 20 degrees at the start of next week.
The highest temperature of 36 degrees will be reached in the south-east of the country. The rest of the country will have temperatures around 30 degrees, except for the north, where the weather will be slightly cooler, reports Weerplaza.
Tonight will also be a warm night, so if you’re not a fan of getting sunburned, an evening walk should definitely be very enjoyable. No matter what you do today, wear sun protection. One layer won’t be enough, so remember to use lotion several times throughout the day and to hydrate well. If you’re feeling nauseous from the heat, avoid being outside in the sun altogether.
Starting with tomorrow, the heat will slowly disappear, as cloud coverings will also increase. Bummer, we know, but a bit of a summer shower tomorrow will surely be useful to cool ourselves off.
By Sunday and Monday, the temperature will drop to 19 degrees. However, the temperature might pick up again later next week.
Are you prepared for today’s sunshine? What are you planning on doing? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Up to 5,000 KLM jobs will be lost in the coming years due to the coronavirus crisis.
The airline company made the announcement this morning in a press release.
The company will be removing jobs in several ways. First, they will not renew temporary contracts, causing the loss of 1,500 FTE. There will also be a voluntary departure scheme worth 2,000 FTE. The company is also counting on 500 full-time jobs being lost to natural attrition in both 2020 and 2021.
KLM CEO Pieter Elbers explained that the company has tried to adapt to the new reality. “Unfortunately, that is not enough and more needs to be done as soon as possible to secure KLM’s future.”
The company has been hard hit by the coronavirus crisis, as revealed by their quarterly reports published last night. The company lost €483 million in the second quarter and sales decreased substantially by 75%. KLM will also need to pay back €1.6 billion to customers for cancelled plane tickets.
