If you are working in the Netherlands, you are entitled to time off to rest and recuperate. Indeed, one of the perks of having a job in the Netherlands is the relatively generous allowance of paid holidays that most employees receive, above the statutory entitlement. This page explains everything you need to know about receiving and taking paid holidays in the Netherlands.
Employers in the Netherlands are legally obliged to give their employees a set number of days of statutory leave per year, but in practice most give extra time off.
The statutory entitlement to paid holidays in the Netherlands (also known as annual leave, holiday leave or paid time off) is 20 days per year, or four times the agreed working time per week. If you work part-time hours, your statutory leave entitlement is calculated proportionately.
In practice, however, most employers in the Netherlands give their employees more holiday leave. 25 days is pretty standard, but some companies offer 30 or more days off per year. Many companies also offer bonus holiday days for long-term employees.
This additional holiday leave entitlement - which will be outlined in your work contract or collective labour agreement - is known as non-statutory holidays (bovenwettelijke vakantiedagen). Understanding the difference between statutory and non-statutory holidays is important when it comes to carrying over unused days of leave (see below).
You continue to accrue holiday leave during maternity leave, partner leave, paid parental leave and sick leave.
Bear in mind that the holiday entitlements mentioned in work contracts sometimes include public holidays in the Netherlands, whereas other companies count public holidays on top of holiday days.
There’s no statutory requirement for employers to give workers days off on public holidays, so these could be considered working days. Check the exact wording of your contract, or discuss this with your employer, to be sure.
Your paid holiday leave is - exactly as it sounds - holiday leave during which you are paid. While you are on holiday leave, you will continue to receive your regular salary.
Note as well that you should also receive your holiday allowance (equivalent to 8% of your annual salary, usually paid out in May or June) on top of your salary.
You need to get permission from your employer before taking a holiday day. You’ll need to let them know in advance, but the exact rules on this vary from company to company. At least 14 days of notice is considered good practice, but if you want to take a longer holiday, it’s best to let your employer know well in advance.
Your employer will have their own process for booking annual leave, usually outlined in your employee handbook or similar. Many companies use software or digital platforms to track holiday entitlements and submit and confirm requests.
Your employer is not allowed to oblige you to take your annual leave on certain days, nor are they allowed to refuse holiday requests, unless there are operational reasons why your holiday request could cause problems (for instance other employees already having the day booked off). These are known as “compelling business reasons”. If there are compelling business reasons, your employer must submit a written objection within two weeks of receiving your request.
The maximum amount of holiday leave that an employee can take at one time varies from employer to employer and is often influenced by company policy, union agreements and company operations.
The majority of employers allow a maximum consecutive holiday period of two to three weeks. If you want to take holiday leave for more than three weeks it will usually require special permission from your employer.
Some companies offer newlyweds a one-off opportunity to increase their consecutive holiday leave to four weeks so they can enjoy an extended honeymoon.
Some employers have fixed holiday periods known as “collective holiday periods”. This might be the case, for instance, if you work as a teacher or in construction. In principle, you are obliged to take your holidays during these periods. If you want to take a holiday outside of these periods, you must discuss this with your employer.
It is possible to “store” up your unused vacation days in the Netherlands, or even have them paid out in certain circumstances, but there are rules for this.
It is not possible to have your unused statutory holidays paid out unless your employment contract is being terminated. Your employer may pay out your unused non-statutory leave, with your approval.
Normally, however, unused holidays roll over from one year to the next, within certain limits.
Statutory holidays can only be carried over for a maximum of six months. This means that any unused statutory holiday days from 2025 need to be used by June 30, 2026, or they risk being forfeit. The only exception to this rule is if you have been reasonably unable to take annual leave.
Non statutory holidays, on the other hand, can roll over for up to five years. This means that unused holiday days from 2025 need to be used by December 31, 2030.
If you leave your job (e.g. if you have found a new job in the Netherlands) and you have accumulated holiday leave, it is wise to take that time off before the end of your contract - after discussing this arrangement with your employer.
It’s also possible to have your accumulated days paid out when you leave a job. However, employers are only required to pay out leave above the legal minimum 20-day amount, so you may not receive complete compensation for the total number of days owing.
If you get sick while you are taking holiday leave in the Netherlands, it may be possible to recover your holiday day and convert it into a sick day. To do this, you need to report your illness to your employer as soon as possible, the same as you would do if you were calling in sick. Your employer may ask to see a doctor’s note. When you start to feel better, you should let your employer know.