As an asylum seeker in the Netherlands, you are allowed to work under certain conditions.
You are allowed to work six months after your asylum application starts to be processed. You are not allowed to do paid work before then. It is up to you to find work. Your employer must apply for a work permit from UWV for you. Your employer must also pay you the same wages as a Dutch employee. You can work as an employee or be self-employed.
A work permit is a document that shows you are allowed to work and what you are allowed to earn in the form of wages. Your employer or client must apply to UWV for your work permit. Your employer will give you a photocopy of the work permit.
If you work as an asylum seeker in the Netherlands you have to pay tax, just like all employees in the Netherlands. You also pay a contribution to COA towards the costs of your stay in the reception centre. The amount you pay depends on your income. You are always allowed to keep 25% of your wages, up to the maximum specified monthly amount. If you earn more than you have to pay COA, you can also keep the extra amount you earn. This is laid down in the 2008 Asylum Seekers Own Contribution Scheme (REBA).
You are also allowed to perform small tasks, such as cleaning or gardening, at your reception centre. You may work a maximum of 25 hours each week. You will receive a small payment for this. This is between €0.56 and €1.10 an hour. The maximum payment is €14 a week.
If the IND grants you a temporary asylum residence permit, you can work, start your own business or do volunteer work and your employer will not need a permit.
If you do not have a residence permit yet, you may still do volunteer work. You do not need to wait for six months after your asylum application starts to be processed. The organisation where you want to do volunteer work needs to have a statement of volunteering from UWV and has to apply for this statement.
You are allowed to work six months after your asylum procedure starts. Your employer needs to have a permit that allows you to work. This is called a work permit.
You do not apply for a work permit yourself. Your employer submits an application for your work permit to UWV.
If you live in a reception centre and do paid work, you have to give some of your wages to COA as a contribution towards the costs of the reception facilities. You can keep 25% of your wages, up to a maximum of €269 a month. If the amount you earn is more than the amount you have to pay to COA, you can keep the difference between those amounts.
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