Seeking info about health care and social security eligibility

30POSTS

5 years ago

Hello

I am an EU citizen living in Canada. I am thinking of moving to the Netherlands, looking for details on eligibility for health care and social security. I am not looking for handouts/"free ride".

My situation: left the EU right after university. Never paid taxes in the EU. If/when I move to the Netherlands, I will likely not work (or I will do part time consulting for a Canadian company).

The question: can I buy into/pay for the health care? Can I become eligible upon purchasing real estate and thus paying property taxes? Or do I have to work for a Dutch company and pay income taxes to gain access to the social security/health care services in the Netherlands?

The guidance will be greatly appreciated.

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Cynic UK/Netherlands Expert

8103POSTS

5 years ago

Hi and welcome to the Forum.

As an EU citizen, you have the right to live and work anywhere in the EU. For the Netherlands in particular, health care is provided by compulsory Health Insurance; everybody has to pay this regardless of their situation and is in addition to any taxes you may be required to pay. The Dutch Government website has a webpage with the details, this link will take you straight there. At the bottom is a link to a Q&A page "Coming from Abroad" with plenty of useful information. The healthcare can be viewed as expensive, so the Dutch Government offer a scheme known as "zorgtoeslag" to help those on low incomes defray some of the costs. You must be registered as a resident in the Netherlands before you can apply for health insurance; you must make an appointment to register with the local Gemeente within 5 days of arrival

Social Care. The Dutch have specific social taxes, if you've paid these taxes for a minimum of 26 weeks of the last 36, then you can qualify for unemployment support. If you have never previously lived/worked in the Netherlands, then you will not qualify for any state pensions or social support - the Dutch pay a lot of money in their working lives to provide this support, there is no way to buy into it except to work and pay the social taxes.

Regardless of which country you come from, if you are not a Dutch citizen and deemed to have become a burden to the state, then they can send you back to where you came from.

Hope this helps.

Cynic
Expat Team

FrauSchlau Active member

30POSTS

5 years ago

Good day,

Thank you so much - truly appreciated and exactly what I was looking for!

FrauSchlau Active member

30POSTS

5 years ago

Cynic wrote:
Hi and welcome to the Forum.

As an EU citizen, you have the right to live and work anywhere in the EU. For the Netherlands in particular, health care is provided by compulsory Health Insurance; everybody has to pay this regardless of their situation and is in addition to any taxes you may be required to pay. The Dutch Government website has a webpage with the details, this link will take you straight there. At the bottom is a link to a Q&A page "Coming from Abroad" with plenty of useful information. The healthcare can be viewed as expensive, so the Dutch Government offer a scheme known as "zorgtoeslag" to help those on low incomes defray some of the costs. You must be registered as a resident in the Netherlands before you can apply for health insurance; you must make an appointment to register with the local Gemeente within 5 days of arrival

Social Care. The Dutch have specific social taxes, if you've paid these taxes for a minimum of 26 weeks of the last 36, then you can qualify for unemployment support. If you have never previously lived/worked in the Netherlands, then you will not qualify for any state pensions or social support - the Dutch pay a lot of money in their working lives to provide this support, there is no way to buy into it except to work and pay the social taxes.

Regardless of which country you come from, if you are not a Dutch citizen and deemed to have become a burden to the state, then they can send you back to where you came from.

Hope this helps.

Cynic
Expat Team

Hello again,

Sorry, one more question: one of the scenarios I am considering is dividing my time between the Netherlands and Canada.

Does the health coverage come with a minimum residency requirement? For example - in the province of Ontario in Canada, one must not be away for more than 183 days out of each 12-month period in order to keep the health benefits (I have never been away for more than that, so am not exactly sure what happens thereafter, but I imagine one must re-apply and wait 3 months for the benefits to resume).

Anything similar in the Netherlands?

Cynic UK/Netherlands Expert

8103POSTS

5 years ago

Hi again.

There is nothing stopping you dividing your time as you wish. If you become a resident in the Netherlands, then you have to pay your monthly health insurance premium from the date you arrive. If you decide to go to visit Canada while living in Holland, you still pay, although it will not cover you in Canada - you'll need extra travel insurance cover for there, although your Dutch Insurance will cover you for emergency treatment while in other EU countries.

If you decide to remain a resident in Canada and visit Europe as a Tourist, then you will need Canadian travel/health insurance.

Hope this helps.

Cynic
Expat Team