Separating housing and employment: what is changing

From 1 July 2028, employers will no longer be allowed to deduct housing costs from the minimum wage of international workers. Minister Vijlbrief is abolishing this arrangement, coinciding with the introduction of the Wet passende huurcontracten (Appropriate Rental Contracts Act).

For some companies in the sector, this presents a problem because their business model depends on it. For us, it confirms the direction we had already chosen.

Why this decision was made

The Roemer Committee already made its position clear in 2020: migrant workers should be able to make their own decisions about their accommodation, just like any other employee in the Netherlands. Housing and employment should be separated to reduce workers' dependence on their employers.

For six years, that recommendation was widely supported but never implemented. Until now.

Under the current rules, employers may deduct up to 25 percent of the gross minimum wage in exchange for accommodation, provided that the accommodation is certified. The minister has been straightforward about the reason for ending this arrangement: too many migrant workers currently depend on their employers for a place to sleep, and employers must charge them a fair price for accommodation.

Previous research showed that employers regularly deduct the maximum permitted amount, even when the quality of the accommodation does not justify it. This is exactly the kind of behaviour that has damaged the reputation of the entire sector.

What separating housing and employment means in practice

It may sound like an administrative change. It is not.

When rent can no longer be deducted directly from wages, housing must be organised as an independent service, with its own rental agreement, rental price and notice period. Residents pay their rent themselves from their net wages and retain their accommodation even if their employment ends.

This requires organisations that treat housing as a profession in its own right rather than a by-product of temporary employment. It also requires sufficient accommodation. Without enough available housing, an independent rental agreement does little to improve a resident's position.

That housing supply is currently insufficient. The Expertisecentrum Flexwonen (Flexible Housing Expertise Centre) has calculated that approximately 160,000 additional rooms are needed, on top of the existing shortage.

The sector is taking responsibility

In April 2026, a pioneering group of fifteen organisations committed to establishing the Vereniging Huisvesting Internationale Medewerkers (VHIM), the Association for Housing International Workers. The association was formally established in June. It brings together housing providers, employers and intermediaries under one guiding principle: the entire supply chain shares responsibility, not just one individual party.

The VHIM operates with admission requirements, a code of conduct, a membership selection committee and a system of sanctions. Only reputable organisations are admitted. The standards established by the Roemer Committee form the starting point. In August 2026, the association entered into a partnership with the Expertisecentrum Flexwonen.

This is relevant for municipalities for a simple reason. Until now, municipalities have had to assess the reliability of housing providers themselves. An organisation is now emerging that will coordinate these assessments on behalf of the sector and can be held accountable for them.

ZPOT, our housing partner, is one of the fifteen founding organisations. Its director, Eefke Visser-Bierbooms, serves on the association's board. The association's contribution to the public consultation on the Appropriate Rental Contracts Act is being coordinated through the same channels.

We are therefore not simply watching from the sidelines as these regulations take shape.

What this looks like in practice

Policy is one thing. An actual building is another.

In the Westland region, you will find Homeland, a housing facility developed by ZPOT in cooperation with the municipality of Westland and NL Jobs. Built according to the Roemer standards, it is already in operation.

At the opening, Eefke Visser-Bierbooms expressed her hope that the building would serve as an example for other municipalities, encouraging them to approve and develop more accommodation that meets these standards. Alderman Valstar described it as a clear step towards decent, safe and modern housing, and as a place where employment and accommodation complement each other.

Our director, Rita Kostwinder, summed it up more simply: providing a second home.

Above all, Homeland demonstrates that it is possible. Not as an exception, but as the result of a municipality, a housing provider and an employer working towards the same goal.

What this means for your municipality

Municipalities are facing a familiar dilemma: dealing with problems in residential neighbourhoods or allowing new housing developments to remain on hold. As long as people work in the Netherlands without their accommodation being properly organised, this dilemma will continue to arise.

Four specific points deserve attention in the coming period.

1. The deadline is fixed, but implementation remains a challenge

1 July 2028 is a firm deadline. Organisations that fail to adapt their business models will face difficulties, and so will their residents. Municipalities can already address this risk in discussions with housing providers and employers operating in their area.

2. Migrant workers are officially recognised as a priority group

Through an amendment to the Wet versterking regie volkshuisvesting (Strengthening Government Direction in Housing Act), adopted by the Dutch House of Representatives in March 2026, international workers have been designated as a priority group alongside students, older people and residence permit holders. However, recognition on paper does not create additional accommodation. That requires housing shortage assessments, housing development plans and policies for suitable locations.

3. The SNF standard was tightened on 1 October 2026

The updated standard further incorporates the recommendations of the Roemer Committee. Certification continues to apply to individual accommodation locations rather than to an organisation as a whole. The relevant question is therefore always which specific location has been certified.

4. Ask about the type of rental agreement

The most important question you can ask a provider is not whether they hold a quality certificate, but whether residents receive an independent rental agreement and what notice period applies. The answer reveals more about how an organisation operates than any certification document alone.

Our position

NL Jobs was founded in 2002 by four Dutch horticultural growers, who remain shareholders and are also our largest clients. Every day, more than 2,500 people work through NL Jobs in greenhouse horticulture, agriculture, production, logistics and technical industries.

Our accommodation is SNF-certified and provided through ZPOT, one of the founding organisations of the VHIM. This combination is no coincidence. We believe that providing accommodation requires professional expertise and should never be treated as a secondary concern. We also believe that separating housing and employment is the right direction, even when it creates short-term challenges for parts of the sector.

We understand why municipalities are critical of this sector. That criticism has been earned. We would rather engage in an open conversation about these concerns than avoid them.

Are you developing policies for housing international workers, or would you like to learn how we have organised our accommodation? Contact us to discuss the possibilities.

Frequently asked questions

What changes on 1 July 2028?

From that date, employers will no longer be allowed to deduct housing costs from the minimum wage. This change coincides with the introduction of the Appropriate Rental Contracts Act (Wet passende huurcontracten), which entered public consultation this summer.

What is currently permitted?

Under the current regulations, employers may deduct up to 25 percent of the gross minimum wage for accommodation, provided that the accommodation is certified.

What is the VHIM?

The Vereniging Huisvesting Internationale Medewerkers (Association for Housing International Workers) was established in 2026 by fifteen organisations from the sector. The association focuses on quality assurance, transparency and oversight. It operates with admission requirements and a code of conduct, using the standards established by the Roemer Committee as its foundation.

What does separating housing and employment mean?

It means that an international worker's housing situation is independent of their employment contract. Residents have their own rental agreement, rental price and notice period. The aim is to reduce their dependence on their employer.

How severe is the housing shortage?

The Expertisecentrum Flexwonen has calculated that approximately 160,000 additional rooms are needed, on top of the existing shortage.

What should municipalities check?

Municipalities should verify the certification of each specific accommodation location rather than relying on company-level certification. They should also check the type of rental agreement, the notice period applicable to residents and whether the provider is willing to share information about its locations, contracts and inspection reports.