Around May, your Dutch colleagues suddenly start booking holidays and grinning about a bonus. The reason is vakantiegeld, an extra slug of money the law says you’re owed. Here is what holiday allowance is, the 8% rule, when it lands, and how to ask HR about it.
What it is, and the 8%
As the government explains how much vakantiegeld you get, vakantiegeld (also vakantietoeslag, holiday allowance) is an extra payment on top of your salary, legally at least 8% of your gross annual pay.
Two things to be clear on, per the FNV on vakantiegeld:
- It’s separate from your paid holiday days, those are your time off; this is the money.
- 8% is the statutory minimum; some cao’s or contracts give more.
When it’s paid
Usually in May, which is why accounts get a boost then. As Nibud explains vakantiegeld, it’s typically calculated over June to May, and legally must be paid at least once a year, by end of June, unless agreed otherwise in writing (some employers spread it across monthly pay).
Your loonstrook (payslip) shows the reservering (the reserve) building up through the year.
Starting or leaving mid-year
You never lose what you’ve built. You accrue vakantiegeld every month, so:
- Start partway through? You get the portion earned by the next payout.
- Leave? Your accrued vakantiegeld is paid out in your final settlement.
A common surprise: because the May payment is a lump sum on top of normal pay, it’s taxed at a higher rate in that month (the bijzonder tarief, special rate), so the net can look disappointingly small. You’re not being cheated, it evens out over the year. Also watch the all-in trap: some contracts (often for flexible or zero-hour work) state the salary includes vakantiegeld, meaning there’s no separate May payout. Check your contract so you know which kind you have.
A note on tax
It’s taxable income, so the net you receive is less than 8% of your net salary, don’t budget the full headline figure.
The vocabulary
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| het vakantiegeld | holiday allowance |
| de vakantietoeslag | (same) holiday allowance |
| uitbetalen | to pay out |
| de reservering | the reserve (building up) |
| het brutojaarsalaris | gross annual salary |
| de cao | collective labour agreement |
A line for HR: “Wanneer wordt het vakantiegeld uitbetaald, en over welke periode?”
Where it connects
Vakantiegeld is one slice of Dutch pay, alongside the bruto/netto distinction, reading your loonstrook, the cao that may set the percentage, and your wider holiday and leave rights.
The bottom line
Vakantiegeld is your holiday allowance: at least 8% of gross annual pay, built up over the year and usually paid in May (by end of June at the latest). It’s extra money, separate from leave days, it’s taxed, and you get it pro rata if you start or leave mid-year. Learn vakantiegeld, uitbetalen and reservering, ask HR when it lands, and you’ll enjoy the May windfall, knowing exactly what it is.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that teaches the work-pay Dutch you need, vakantiegeld, vakantietoeslag, uitbetalen, reservering by real situation in five-minute lessons, so you can ask HR about your holiday allowance and read your payslip confidently.
Frequently asked questions
What is vakantiegeld and how much is it?
Vakantiegeld (also vakantietoeslag, holiday allowance) is an extra payment on top of your salary, legally at least 8% of your gross annual pay. You build it up across the year and receive it as a lump sum. It’s separate from your paid holiday days, those are your time off; vakantiegeld is the extra money. The 8% is a statutory minimum; some cao’s or contracts give more.
When is vakantiegeld paid out?
Usually in May, which is why Dutch bank accounts get a welcome boost then. It’s typically calculated over the period June to May. Legally, an employer must pay it at least once a year, by the end of June at the latest, unless you’ve agreed otherwise in writing (some spread it across monthly pay). If you’re unsure, your loonstrook (payslip) shows the reservering building up.
Do I get vakantiegeld if I start or leave mid-year?
Yes, pro rata. You accrue vakantiegeld for every month you work, so if you start partway through the build-up year you get the portion earned by the next payout, and if you leave, your employer pays out the vakantiegeld accrued up to your final day, usually in your last settlement. So you never lose what you’ve built up; you simply get the share you’ve earned.
What is the best app to learn Dutch for pay and HR questions?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it teaches the work-pay Dutch you need, vakantiegeld, vakantietoeslag, uitbetalen, reservering, in five-minute lessons built around real situations, so you can ask HR about your holiday allowance and read your payslip confidently.
