Working abroad
Are you planning to go abroad for work for more than one month? Do you have some ancillary activities abroad? Or are you planning to move abroad? If you are going abroad on behalf of Leiden University, it is important to make the necessary arrangements for working there.
Working abroad can have consequences for the country where you need to take out health insurance, but also for your social security (such as entitlement to unemployment benefits (WW), sickness benefits (ZW), and disability benefits WIA), and your taxes (payroll tax). It may also have consequences for the employment obligations of both the employer and the employee. If you would like to work abroad, it is important that you discuss this with your supervisor in good time, preferably three months in advance. This will allow sufficient time to assess your request and make the necessary arrangements.
Good to know
Your supervisor must first consult the HR adviser before any agreements can be made about working abroad. In some situations, you even require approval from the Executive Board.
Read on to find out more about the possibilities and what you need to do.
You can go abroad for a short business trip (maximum one month) for reasons such as attending a conference, fieldwork, or consultations with researchers abroad. Always consult your supervisor in advance to get approval. See business trips abroad for more information, also on travel to high-risk areas.
If you expect your work abroad to last longer than one month, you must report this in advance to your supervisor and HR adviser. This kind of trip requires permission from the Faculty Board or the Director of the Expertise Centre and the Executive Board. Discuss this in good time (preferably three months before the start of your work abroad), so that your specific situation and any consequences can be properly assessed. Once you report your planned trip, you will receive a questionnaire.
The authorisation procedure is separate from the safety assessment for travel to areas with colour code red or orange. See business trips abroad for information about conditions and procedures regarding safety.
If you are not or not yet able to enter the Netherlands, we advise you to postpone your employment. If postponement is not possible, prior permission is required from the Faculty Board of the Director of the Expertise Centre and the Executive Board to work from abroad. If it is in the interests of the University to grant permission, this will be arranged with you and your HR adviser. These kinds of arrangements take time because the University is dependent on external parties, including government parties. You should therefore discuss the request with your supervisor in good time (preferably three months before starting work abroad). Once you submit your request, you will receive a questionnaire so that your situation can be properly assessed.
Sometimes you need specific permission from the local authorities to work in a country and/or stay there for a longer period of time. This is particularly the case if you are an EU citizen wishing to work outside the EU or a non-EU citizen wishing to work in most other countries. This varies per situation and per country. Check with your supervisor how you can obtain the necessary information in advance, for example from the embassy or a consultancy firm with local expertise. As an employee, you can contact SCIS for immigration and/or border formalities for the Netherlands.
Permission is not granted to work from a holiday address (including a second home). Holidays are intended to allow you to recover from work. Moreover, working abroad can have unintended financial or legal consequences for you as an employee and for the University as your employer.
Exceptions may be made for international employees. Are you for example planning to visit family abroad at Christmas, and would you like to stay longer because of the distance? Discuss with your supervisor whether you can work from there for a maximum of two weeks (on an annual basis) following your leave.
If you are going to perform ancillary activities abroad, this may affect your social security status. If, for example, you are going to work for a Belgian university, Belgian social security may apply to your work for Leiden University. You will then need to take out Belgian health insurance, and you will no longer be insured in the Netherlands for benefits such as unemployment benefits (WW), sickness benefits (ZW), and disability benefits (WIA). You will no longer pay contributions in the Netherlands, but in Belgium, where these contributions might be higher.
You should therefore notify your supervisor and HR adviser of your intention to perform ancillary activities abroad in good time (preferably three months before the start date). We will assess not only your request for ancillary activities, but also the potential consequences for your social security. Once you report your planned ancillary activities, you will receive a questionnaire. In addition you are required to report all ancillary activities in Self Service.
Moving abroad will affect your work. Sometimes, the distance makes it impossible to continue to work in Leiden and/or The Hague. In most cases, a move will therefore mean that you will have to resign. Discuss your relocation plans with your supervisor and HR adviser in good time (three months in advance) so that arrangements can be made regarding your work. If, after your move, you wish to continue to work part-time from abroad, you will need prior permission from Leiden University.
Completing a PhD thesis involves work that cannot simply be done from abroad. If your wish stems from private reasons alone, permission will not be granted to work from abroad.
Make sure you have a suitable workplace abroad
If you have permission to work abroad, you are responsible for ensuring that you can work effectively. This means that you should be easily accessible and have a good and secure internet connection. You are also responsible for making sure that you have a good and safe workplace with sufficient privacy. If this is not possible, permission may be refused or withdrawn if previously granted.
Has your situation changed?
You are at all times responsible for informing your supervisor of any changes in your personal or work situation. HR can then reconsider the circumstances and adjust its advice accordingly. This allows us to organise matters as effectively as possible and avoid unwanted consequences later on.