The whole world is concerned about the COVID-19 crisis. Each country uses different measures to protect their people from getting infected, and no one wants to see their economy crumble. To be an expat in the Netherlands is not easy at the moment as you face changing regulations, with information not (immediately) available in your own language, and working conditions changing rapidly.
Fortunately, umbrella companies can help expats and highly skilled knowledge migrants keep up with current affairs. We spoke to an umbrella company that takes pride in the high standard of personal advice they give to their clients and employees. Katarzyna Szafranska (an expat herself) from Payingit International gave us her take on the role of umbrella companies in times of the Covid-19 crisis.
"Although every country, every culture and every situation is different, everyone is facing the same challenge at the moment. A year later, people are still struggling to get started on their job because of covid. I myself came to the Netherlands from Poland at the beginning of the pandemic to work for Payingit International. It was tough in the beginning. There were a lot of things that were unsure," says Katarzyna.
“The most important thing right now for an umbrella company is to actively keep in touch with their clients and employees," she says, ‘‘Let them know that you want to tackle this crisis together. We believe that it is important to keep everybody safe and healthy, and assist where we can as HR-experts. That’s why we always offer personal advice to our clients / employees, and I think that this is the real strength of Payingit International. We want to take our responsibility.’’
In times like these, people just want to know what they’re dealing with. What can I expect? What is the best thing to do? Are there legal things I have to worry about? And what are the most recent changes in regulations?
Katarzyna tells us that the information about the situation in the Netherlands and how that will affect expats is not that easy to find. She also states that she gets a lot of questions about the measures taken by the Dutch government and the effect they have on international trade to and from the Netherlands.
‘‘The best thing to do if you’re an expat is to always go to your umbrella company if you have questions," Katarzyna concludes. ‘‘Don’t wait around for answers or think it’s a minor thing. Don’t hesitate, but act! That’s what we’re here for. We love to help you. And even if you’re not a client of Payingit International; you can always call, e-mail or schedule a meeting with us if you have any questions regarding your situation. We can always make something work!’’
Here is how you can contact Payingit International: