“I only work part-time, so holiday days don't really apply to me.” That's a misconception. According to the Dutch government you're entitled, per year, to four times the number of hours you work per week, and this right applies to all employees [1]. Even on few hours you accrue holiday hours, proportionally.
Do working students accrue holiday days?
Yes. Every employee is entitled, per year, to holiday hours equal to four times the hours worked per week [1]. If you work 16 hours a week, that's 64 hours a year, the equivalent of four 16-hour work weeks. That's a statutory floor; a collective agreement or your contract may offer more. On top of that you're entitled to at least 8% holiday pay on your gross wage [1].
How do you convert that into days?
Holiday hours are usually converted into days based on your average working day. If you work two 8-hour days a week, 64 hours comes to eight 8-hour holiday days. If your hours are spread over more, shorter days, the number of days changes, but not the total hours you're entitled to.
What if you work fewer hours in exam time?
You accrue on the hours stated in your employment contract [1]. If you work less in an exam period or take unpaid leave, agree with your employer how that carries through to your accrual, and put it in writing.
Do holiday days expire if you don't take them?
Statutory holiday days you haven't taken expire half a year after the calendar year in which you built them up: days from 2026 expire on 1 July 2027. A collective agreement or written agreement may provide a longer period. Days you haven't taken only lapse after five years if you couldn't take them in time, for example because of illness or because your employer made it impossible, and for days above the statutory minimum [2]. You must be able to take your statutory holiday days every year; the employer may only refuse a request on serious business grounds or because of a collective holiday, and must then allow another time [2].
What can you do if your employer isn't tracking a balance?
Ask for an overview of your accrued and taken holiday hours. If you still have holiday hours left at the end of your employment that you can no longer take, they are paid out to you, according to the Dutch government [2]. Ask early rather than only when you leave.
Why it matters, even if you only stay a year
Holiday days aren't a perk you “earn” by staying long enough: accrual runs from your first working day [1]. You conclude the contract with the employer, who is responsible for the agreements in it.
Sources
- Rijksoverheid: Ik heb een nulurencontract. Heb ik recht op vakantiedagen en vakantiegeld? (vakantie-uren: 4 keer de uren per week, vakantiegeld minimaal 8%), accessed 11 October 2026.
- Rijksoverheid: Hoe kan ik mijn vakantiedagen opnemen?, accessed 11 October 2026.
Transparency: VOIDS connects working students with organisations and therefore has an interest in this topic. We back up facts with sources and connect research and trends to our own experience from practice.
