How do I apply for unemployment benefit outside the Netherlands?

In the Netherlands applications for unemployment benefit must be submitted to the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV). You can submit your application starting 1 week before and up to 1 week after your last day of work. If you submit your application later than this, the amount of benefit you receive may temporarily be lower.

To qualify, you must meet all the conditions for unemployment benefit (in Dutch).

Applying

You can apply for unemployment benefit from the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV) either online or by post.

To apply for unemployment benefit online you must have a DigiD or a recognised form of eID from another European country. You will also need: your most recent payslip, your most recent employment contract and your bank account number.

Find out how to apply for unemployment benefit online (in Dutch)

If you are unable to apply for unemployment benefit online, you can also do so by post. For this you must first go to a UWV employment centre in the Netherlands. UWV will verify your details and you can then submit your application to them for processing.
Because of coronavirus-related restrictions, you must call ahead for an appointment before you can visit the employment centre.

Find a UWV employment centre in the Netherlands (in Dutch)

If you would like to provide a foreign bank account number with your application, you can do so only if you apply for unemployment benefit by post.

After you apply

If you applied for unemployment benefit online, you will receive a letter in the Mijn UWV portal after submitting your application. If you applied for unemployment benefit by post, you will receive a letter by post after submitting your application. The letter will inform you whether you will receive unemployment benefit and, if so, what the amount will be. Immediately after you submit your application you are subject to the same obligations as when you receive unemployment benefit. For example, you yourself are responsible for looking for work. Find out more about what happens after you submit your application (in Dutch) and your obligations when you apply for unemployment benefit (in Dutch).

If you are not insured in the Netherlands, apply for unemployment benefit from the benefits organisation in the country where you were most recently insured. In most cases that is the country where you most recently worked.

Insured in an EU/EEA country or Switzerland

If you are insured in an EU/EEA country or Switzerland, you can find the relevant benefits organisation on Europa.eu.

Sometimes you receive unemployment 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 for. 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 demonstrate this to the benefits organisation using an E301/PD U1 form (in Dutch). Apply for this form in each country where you’ve been insured. You can request an E301/PD U1 form in the Netherlands from the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV).

If you do not have unemployment insurance coverage you do not qualify for unemployment benefit. You may be entitled to another benefit in the country where you live. If you live in or move back to the Netherlands, you may be entitled to social assistance.