Working as an uitzendkracht in the Netherlands is a common way for internationals to get started. But the word itself, along with another you’ll hear a lot, CAO, isn’t really self-explanatory when you’re new here. Both are there to protect you.
What is a CAO?
CAO stands for Collectieve Arbeidsovereenkomst, or collective labour agreement. It’s a set of agreements between employers and a trade union covering things like pay, working hours, holidays, pension, and what happens when you’re sick.
There isn’t just one CAO in the Netherlands. Most sectors have their own, so the agreement that applies to you depends on the kind of work you do and who employs you. Instead of every worker having to negotiate all of this alone, a CAO sets clear standards that apply to everyone working under it, which takes a lot of the uncertainty out of starting a new job.
What it means to work as an uitzendkracht
An uitzendkracht is a temporary agency worker. If you find a job through an agency like Abroad Experience and sign your contract with us rather than directly with the company you’ll be working at, then you’re working as an uitzendkracht.
In practice, the agency is your formal employer. The agency handles your contract, your pay, and your employment conditions, while you do your work at the company that hired you through an agency. Because of that, you’re covered by the specific collective labour agreement for temporary agency workers, which sets out your rights around pay, holiday, pension, and more. It’s a common, well-regulated way of working in the Netherlands, and for many internationals it’s a great way to get a foot in the door.
Your rights are protected
The main thing to know is that working as an uitzendkracht doesn’t mean fewer rights. The agreement that covers you exists specifically to make sure agency workers are treated fairly, and recent updates have strengthened that further, including your right to pay and conditions comparable to permanent colleagues doing the same work.
You don’t need to memorise the details. What matters is knowing that clear standards apply to you, and that you can always check exactly what they mean for your situation.
Where to find the details
This is just the overview. The full agreement goes into a lot more detail, so if you want to read exactly what you’re entitled to, you can find the complete CAO in English on the official ABU website.
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