One in three employees in the Netherlands has a non-compete clause in their employment contract. What should you be aware of if you are one of them? Seliz Demirci from GMW Lawyers explains. A non-compete clause in an employment contract prevents an employee from working for a competitor after their employment has ended. A clause usually lasts for a period of six months but could run for several years. If you break the clause by changing jobs for a rival... More >

The Netherlands seems finally to be having what other countries consider to be a proper summer: days – weeks, even – of weather so reliable that the prospect of organising a picnic or a BBQ more than a few hours ahead doesn’t seem so crazy. While the heatwaves that have been sweeping Europe are certainly cause for concern when it comes to climate change, here in Amsterdam we’ve been lucky: escaping the hottest temperatures while still benefiting from dry and... More >

Energy prices have been soaring of late, and many people have been shopping around in an effort to find a cheaper deal because their current contract is expiring. Whether you are looking for a new deal or are new to the Netherlands and sorting out an energy provider for the first time, here are three things to watch out for. 1.   Type of contract Since the beginning of 2022, most energy suppliers are only offering variable energy contracts with monthly... More >

Summer is here, and while it’s the perfect time to drink out on terraces during the day, it’s also the ideal period to visit the movies at night – especially if it is hot outside. Why? Because the biggest movies come to the big screen over the summer. Top Gun: Maverick, the new Minions and Elvis, to name a few this year. That’s not even including the unique independent and international films released simultaneously. Here are seven cinemas you must... More >

This summer’s inburgering course is focusing on subjects which were either put on hold, or made impossible, during the height of the coronanvirus pandemic. Lesson 31: birthdays Dutch birthdays can be a complete shock to the uninitiated, but there are few simple rules on how to deal with them. 1 If invited to a Dutch birthday party, do not expect wild dancing until dawn. It usually means sitting in a big circle of chairs, drinking coffee and eating a piece... More >

This summer’s inburgering course is focusing on subjects which were either put on hold, or made impossible, during the height of the coronanvirus pandemic. Lesson 30:  how to be polite The Dutch have a reputation for being blunt and direct to the point of rudeness. But there is such a thing as Dutch etiquette. Here are the main things to look out for. Greetings Coronavirus has played havoc with the Dutch traditional approach to greetings and shaking hands. Pre coronavirus,... More >

It’s almost all outdoor fun in July and August, and if June was anything to go by you can leave your umbrella at home. Pick your sporting event The 16 best women’s hockey teams in the world will take part in the World Cup from July 1 to July 17, with the group matches and cross-overs split between the Spanish Olympic Stadium in Terrassa and the Wagener stadium in Amstelveen. The semi-finals and final will take place in Spain. The... More >

A round-up of the latest housing news, brought to you by Expat Mortgages. Interest rates Interest rates have more than doubled since the start of the year and you will now pay around 3.5% for a 10-year fixed rate mortgage. Economists expect rates will go up even more, given inflation is hovering around 8%, thanks to a wide variety of factors. ‘The real low rates of around 1% are gone and I don’t think this is something we will ever... More >

It is always good to give – and in the Netherlands, there can be a tax advantage too. If you donate more than 1% of your taxable income in any given year to certain good causes, you can deduct this sum from your income before you pay tax on the rest. Sing in a church choir at the weekend, and send them an annual donation? Give money to your local mosque? Made gifts to the major Ukraine appeal Giro555 or... More >

So, with summer almost with us, it is time to once again take some lessons in our very own inburgering course. To start, here’s a quick catch up on one essential subject – given today is the start of the new season. Lesson 11: The herring The new herring season starts on June 15 and this year the fish is described by experts as ‘especially fatty’, which is a change from the usual lekker, or nicely, fatty. The fat content,... More >

If you’ve received a package from overseas in recent months, there’s a good chance you had to pay substantial fees on it, even if it was a gift or a personal item. You may have even found yourself in an aggravating ordeal with the customer service departments of PostNL, DHL, or another delivery service. Here’s the rundown on what’s happening…and why it’s going to continue. A birthday gift from my sister and a family heirloom for my partner Marie. These... More >

With interests rising, there are signs that people hoping to get a foot on the property ladder are reconsidering their options. When a house does come on the market, fewer people are attending viewings. So how as a seller can you make the most of this difficult market? The first thing you need to do is ensure that you have the best possible online listing, says Mie-Lan Kok, who has been in the business for some 20 years. ‘You need... More >

    Missing your favourite television programmes from back home, or worried about internet security? A VPN might be the answer. A VPN (Virtual Private Network – read more about it here) is a way of protecting your connection while you’re using the internet. It makes your browsing private, hides your IP (Internet Protocol) address and ensures your internet service provider (ISP) doesn’t track you. A VPN will encrypts your internet traffic, making your browsing more secure and private but... More >

  When you stand inside the end of ‘Passage’ – a 12-metre tunnel in the shape of a mechanical man – the outlook is frighteningly black. But turn around and the entrance has become a cross of stunning light, and a kind of epiphany. This tension between despair and hope is the common thread in an exhibition by the British sculptor Antony Gormley, in the stunning surroundings of the Voorlinden museum in The Hague. The show is called ‘Ground’ and... More >