More than 42 percent of Dutch companies that hired self -employed people in 2024 expect that less to do in 2025. Dat reports The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) Thursday. According to the companies, the stricter controls announced by the Tax Authorities plays an important role in that choice.
Many companies have been dealing with the use of freelancers in a different way since this year. The reason for this is that from January 1, 2025, the tax authorities must be against sham independence to enforce. It is checked whether companies do not hire self -employed people for the same work that someone with permanent employment is performing.
That was already forbidden by law, but because there was hardly any maintained, the number of ‘false self -employed people’ increased considerably. These self -employed people do their work in a similar way as people employed, for example in fixed roster times, with a laptop from the employer and under a manager, but do not build a pension or have to arrange their health insurance themselves.
Agriculture and Horeca
In sectors such as the hospitality industry, care and media, the self -employed is often called on and that is expected to change. For example, employers in the hospitality industry and agriculture say that stricter control of false independence is the most important reason for fewer freelancers in renting in 2025. The same applies to entrepreneurs in security and investigating services and to the radio and television broadcasters.
This is also the main reason in construction and the number of companies that have less work for self -employed people is highest, more than six in ten companies. A shortage of qualified staff is 39 percent of companies the most important reason to keep hiring self -employed people.
Enforcement now consists only of the imposition of additional taxes. Fines are not yet handed out this year. There is not only a risk for employers who incorrectly let employees work as a self -employed person where the law is required. False self -employed people can also be punished: tax benefits they have received as self -employed people should repay them.
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The care depends on self -employed people, but now most of them are no longer allowed to work there – NRC