Do I qualify for sickness benefit outside the Netherlands?

If you work abroad and have developed a long-term illness, you may be entitled to the continued payment of your salary by your employer or to sickness benefit. Exactly what you are entitled to depends on the country where you are insured and the country where you work.

If you don’t know whether you have sickness insurance coverage or where you are insured, first check where you are insured.

Insured in the Netherlands

If you work in an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, you must inform your employer that you are ill. You must also have a declaration from your doctor. Your employer is required to continue to pay at least 70% of your salary for 2 years.

Only in the following situations are you entitled to sickness benefit from UWV:

Your contract ends while you are ill.
You become ill within four weeks of your contract ending.
You are an agency worker and your contract automatically ends after you report that you are ill.
You have optional sickness insurance.
You have become ill as a result of pregnancy, childbirth or organ donation.

Do any of these situations apply to you?

If you work in a country with which the Netherlands has reciprocal agreements, you must inform your employer that you are ill. You must also have a declaration from your doctor. Your employer is required to continue to pay at least 70% of your salary for 2 years.

You must also inform the benefits organisation in the country where you work that you are ill within 3 days. This organisation will verify whether you are still ill and will inform your employer.

Only in the following situations are you entitled to sickness benefit from UWV:

Your contract ends while you are ill.
You become ill within four weeks of your contract ending.
You are an agency worker and your contract automatically ends after you report that you are ill.
You have optional sickness insurance.
You have become ill as a result of pregnancy, childbirth or organ donation.

Do any of these situations apply to you?

If you live in Canada, India or the United States, UWV cannot pay you sickness benefit. Your employer is, however, required to continue to pay at least 70% of your salary for 2 years. If you move to the Netherlands, you can receive sickness benefit from UWV.

If you work in a country other than an EU/EEA country, Switzerland or a country with which the Netherlands has reciprocal agreements, you must inform your employer that you are ill. If your employer is based in the Netherlands, they are required to continue to pay at least 70% of your salary for 2 years.

If your employer is not based in the Netherlands, you are entitled to sickness benefit from UWV provided you live in a country where UWV can pay you this benefit. Find out in which countries UWV may pay sickness benefit.

UWV may pay sickness benefit in my country

UWV may not pay sickness benefit in my country

If you live in a country where UWV may not pay sickness benefit, apply for sickness benefit in the country where you live.

Insured outside the Netherlands

If you work in an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, you must report that you are ill in accordance with the rules of that country. Your employer knows how to do this. You are entitled to the continued payment of your salary by your employer. How much of your salary you receive and for how long varies by country.

If the maximum period your employer will continue to pay your salary has passed, apply for sickness benefit from the benefits organisation in your country. You can find the relevant benefits organisation on Europa.eu.

Calculating how long you’ve been insured

Sometimes you receive sickness benefit in the country where you work only after you’ve been insured there for a certain amount of time. Check with the benefits organisation in the country where you work to find out how long you must be insured.

If you have not been insured in the country where you work long enough but have previously worked in the Netherlands, another EU/EEA country or Switzerland, you can count the time you were insured in those countries too. If by counting this time you meet the minimum requirement, you can use an E104 form to demonstrate this to the benefits organisation in the country where you work.

Applying for an E104 form

Apply for an E104 form in each country where you’ve been insured. In the Netherlands you can apply for an E104 form from UWV (information in Dutch). In other EU/EEA countries and Switzerland you can apply for this form from the local benefits organisation. You can find the relevant benefits organisation on Europa.eu.

If you work in a country with which the Netherlands has reciprocal agreements, you must report that you are ill in accordance with the rules of that country. Your employer knows how to do this. You are entitled to sickness benefit in the country where you work. Apply for this benefit from the benefits organisation in that country.

Counting how long you’ve been insured

If you have not been insured in the country where you work long enough but you have previously worked in the Netherlands, another EU/EEA country or Switzerland, you can count the time you were insured in those countries too. If by counting this time you meet the minimum requirement, you can use an E104 form to demonstrate this to the benefits organisation in the country where you work.

Applying for an E104 form

If you work in a country other than an EU/EEA country, Switzerland, or a country with which the Netherlands has reciprocal agreements, contact the benefits organisation in that country. Ask them whether you are entitled to sickness benefit.

If you have been posted abroad from the Netherlands, your employer is required to continue paying at least 70% or your salary for 2 years.

Not insured

If you do not have sickness insurance coverage, you are not entitled to sickness benefit. Find out what other options are available in the country where you live. If you move back to the Netherlands, you may be entitled to social assistance.

Contact

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Do I qualify for sickness benefit outside the Netherlands?

Insured in the Netherlands

I work in an EU/EEA country or Switzerland

I work in a country with which the Netherlands has reciprocal agreements

I work in another country