May you have two jobs at once? In principle, yes. A clause in your contract by which the employer forbids or restricts you from working for others outside working hours is void under Article 7:653a of the Dutch Civil Code, unless it can be justified by an objective reason [1]. For tax, you may only have the payroll tax credit applied by one employer [2], and the Working Time Act applies to all your jobs together [3].
What does Article 7:653a say?
Paragraph 1 provides that a clause by which the employer forbids or restricts you from performing work for others outside the times at which you must work for that employer is void, unless that clause can be justified by an objective reason. Paragraph 2 prohibits the employer from disadvantaging you because you invoke this article, have assisted others in doing so or have filed a complaint [1]. What counts as an objective reason depends on the case. This article will be amended as of 1 January 2028 [1].
What do you need to arrange for tax?
If you have several jobs at the same time, according to the Tax Administration you have the payroll tax credit applied by one employer only [2]. You state this on the form Model opgaaf gegevens voor de loonheffingen that you fill in for each new employer. If you're studying, you can ask your employer to apply the student and pupil scheme [2]. Read how this works in our article on the payroll tax credit and your first job.
How many hours may you work in total?
If you have several jobs, according to the Dutch government the Working Time Act applies to all your work: you add up the working times to work out what your working and rest times must be [3]. For employees aged 18 and over, the law sets, among other things, a maximum of 12 hours per shift and 60 hours per week, an average of 55 hours over four weeks and an average of 48 hours over sixteen weeks, and at least 11 consecutive hours of rest after a working day [4]. Separate, stricter rules apply to people under 18 [3]. These are statutory upper limits, not recommendations for what's sensible alongside a study. If you're an international student from outside the EEA, separate hour limits apply; see our article on that.
Does a second job affect your student finance?
DUO states that since 2020 you may earn without limit, with no earnings ceiling [5]. You can read about possible consequences for benefits and tax in our article on student finance and working; check them with the Tax Administration.
What can you do in practice?
- Check your contracts for a side-job clause and what exactly it says
- If there's a ban or restriction, ask for the reason in writing and test it against Article 7:653a; ask for advice if in doubt
- Choose with which employer you have the payroll tax credit applied and fill in the form that way with the other employer(s) too
- Keep track of your total working hours per week, including your studies, so that you stay within what's feasible
- Record agreements on rosters and exam periods with both employers
Sources
- wetten.overheid.nl: Burgerlijk Wetboek Boek 7, artikel 653a (nevenwerkzaamheden), geldend per 1 juli 2026, accessed 11 October 2026.
- Belastingdienst: Ik werk in loondienst, accessed 11 October 2026.
- Rijksoverheid: Wat staat er in de Arbeidstijdenwet over mijn werktijden?, accessed 11 October 2026.
- Rijksoverheid: Wat zijn de wettelijke regels voor mijn werktijden en rusttijden?, accessed 11 October 2026.
- DUO (2026): Bijverdienen, accessed 11 October 2026.
