According to CBS data, more than half of the temporary workers employed in the Netherlands are from abroad. In 2024, 52.4% of these workers came mainly from Poland, Romania, Ukraine, and Bulgaria. It is worth noting that 67% of them had been living in the Netherlands for less than two years. This group makes decisions about leaving or staying at a job much more quickly than permanent employees. Additionally, they base these decisions on specific, verifiable indicators from their first few weeks on the job.
Changes in the temporary labor market in the Netherlands in 2026 have accelerated significantly. A new collective bargaining agreement for temporary workers, a higher minimum wage, and increasing competition for available talent mean that companies that understand the real causes of turnover gain a clear advantage over those that still treat turnover as an unavoidable cost of doing business.
Table of Contents
1. Who Are Temporary Workers in the Netherlands Today?
2. Where Do Temporary Workers Actually Go?
3. Compensation: Why 2026 Is a Game-Changer
4. Housing – A Factor Rarely Discussed in Retention Conversations
5. The First Few Days on the Job Matter More Than You Think
6. Communication – the Most Common, Least Obvious Cause of Turnover
7. Respect in the Workplace as a Retention Factor
8. What Companies Can Do Right Now
9. How Intraservis Supports the Retention of Temporary Workers
10. FAQ
Who Are Today’s Temporary Workers in the Netherlands?
To begin with, it’s worth asking ourselves who exactly these foreign temporary workers are. In 2010, they accounted for 27.2% of the temporary staffing sector, while by 2024 that figure had risen to 44.4%. When it comes to large agencies (with over 500 employees), this percentage is even higher: in 56% of such companies, the majority of temporary workers were born outside the Netherlands.
This means that the majority of the temporary workforce in the Netherlands does not yet have deeply rooted relationships with their local employer. This also applies to knowledge of various local social norms in the workplace and a lack of other interpersonal relationships (e.g., among fellow employees). These factors, among others, influence the decision to stay at a particular workplace, look for another one, or even switch to a different agency.
Where Do Temporary Workers Actually Go?
If a worker leaves a particular workplace, it rarely means they are leaving the temporary labor market altogether. A report prepared by SEO Economisch Onderzoek on behalf of the ABU, based on UWV data, shows that migration most often occurs between one temporary job and another. As the figures show: 28% of temporary workers had another temporary job immediately prior to their current one, and 28% move on to another temporary job after their assignment ends.
Only a small group of people transition to permanent employment. This refers to 6% of all temporary workers who switch to a permanent contract immediately after their temporary assignment ends. For “regular” temporary workers (i.e., those who are not high school students, college students, or migrant workers), this percentage rises to 11% one quarter after the assignment ends. In this same group, as many as 26% are in fixed-term employment one quarter later.
To sum up: workers generally remain in the temporary employment model. While turnover is inevitable, this also means a fierce battle to retain employees. Competitors will be eager to hire them, and employees won’t hesitate to switch if a better offer comes along.
Compensation: Why 2026 Is a Game-Changer
Effective January 1, 2026, a new collective bargaining agreement for temporary workers (Cao voor Uitzendkrachten) will take effect, negotiated by the ABU, NBBU, and the LBV labor union for the years 2026–2028. The most significant change: the previous “inlenersbeloning”—that is, compensation limited to selected components of a permanent employee’s pay—has been replaced by the principle of “gelijkwaardige beloning,” or equivalent terms of employment.
In practice, temporary workers are now to receive a package of benefits with a total value comparable to that of a permanent employee in a similar position—not only an hourly rate, but also allowances, vacation time, and benefits.
Also significant is the increase in the minimum wage, which will take effect on July 1, 2026.
The minimum hourly wage for workers aged 21 and older will rise to 14.99 EUR per hour. This is the moment when companies must ask themselves whether the wages they offer are still competitive. Workers compare offers across agencies and leave for those where the benefits package is simply better.
Housing – A Factor Rarely Discussed in Retention Conversations
For temporary workers, and especially for economic migrants, housing is of critical importance. It often determines whether a worker will stay in a job or leave it. At the same time, it is a topic that rarely comes up in discussions about turnover.
In October 2025, the Dutch government decided that the planned phase-out of the practice of deducting housing costs from wages would not take effect on January 1, 2026, as previously anticipated. According to a statement from Rijksoverheid, employers may continue to deduct up to 25% of the minimum wage for housing costs. In the current market situation—according to the government—employees could lose more than they gain from such a move.
Therefore, the quality and predictability of housing remain in the employer’s hands. From a retention perspective, this is both a risk and an opportunity:
This means that the issue of housing quality and predictability remains in the employer’s hands for much longer than originally planned. From a retention perspective, this is both a risk and an opportunity. If the housing is well-maintained, close to the workplace, and doesn’t incur additional costs, the employee has one less reason to change jobs. On the other hand, if the opposite is true, it’s one of the factors that most quickly leads to a move to a competitor.
The First Days on the Job Matter More Than You Might Think
Especially in seasonal industries and high-paced work environments, the onboarding process for new employees can be chaotic and haphazard. For someone who has recently arrived in the Netherlands and is unfamiliar with the language and local procedures, such a start can be very problematic.
Good onboarding is more than just job training. It also involves explaining health and safety rules in understandable language, introducing a point of contact in case of problems, and outlining what the employee can expect during their first week, month, and quarter. If an employee feels lost or uninformed from the very first days, they may quickly decide to leave. That is why it is so important to focus on effectively onboarding new hires.
As CBS data shows, 67% of temporary workers in the Netherlands have lived in the country for less than two years. These people often lack experience and will feel the effects of poor onboarding more acutely.
Communication – the Most Common, Least Obvious Cause of Turnover
When it comes to pay and working conditions, these are easy to measure. Communication, however, is more difficult to assess. This is problematic because communication is most often the determining factor in whether an employee feels like part of the team or just a temporary addition to it.
What communication issues lead temporary workers to quit their jobs? Among them are certainly: a lack of clear information about the schedule provided well in advance, no designated person or place to quickly report a problem, and instructions provided exclusively in Dutch without translation. In teams where the majority of employees are Polish, Romanian, or Ukrainian, the lack of communication in a language they understand is not a minor inconvenience—it is a direct barrier to performing their work and building trust.
It is therefore worth ensuring a two-way communication channel—a coordinator available in the employee’s language, clear rules for reporting absences, and regular updates on schedule changes. Thanks to such measures, employees are more likely to stay longer, even if the financial conditions are similar to those offered by competitors.
Respect in the Workplace as a Retention Factor
A lack of respect for temporary employees is one of the most frequently cited reasons for leaving. This often involves subtle but clear signals, such as being overlooked when information is shared with the entire team, being treated less favorably when tasks are assigned, or not being included in decisions regarding how work is organized for a given position.
In theory, the new collective bargaining agreement from 2026 directly addresses this issue on a formal level. This is intended to ensure equal employment conditions for permanent and temporary employees. Unfortunately, the reality often looks different, and this, too, can lead to gaps in the team.
What Companies Can Do Right Now
What companies can implement right now to improve retention of temporary workers in 2026:
- Review rates in light of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and the minimum wage increase effective July 1, 2026-this is the quickest way to verify whether the offer remains competitive.
- Review the status and transparency of accommodation billing if the company provides it—hidden costs and poor living conditions are among the most frequently cited reasons for leaving among migrant workers.
- Organize onboarding in a language the employee understands, covering not only the job role but also basic health and safety rules and a designated contact person.
- Establish a single, clear communication channel for reporting problems and announcing schedule changes-in languages the team understands.
- Include temporary employees in team communication on an equal footing with permanent employees-this has a real impact on their sense of belonging.
- Monitor turnover on an ongoing basis by talking to departing employees about the actual reasons for their departure-without making assumptions.
- Implementing these changes does not require significant financial investment. It does, however, require consistency and treating retention as an integral part of team management. It cannot be a stopgap measure taken only when turnover becomes a major problem.
How Intraservis Supports the Retention of Temporary Employees
At Intraservis, we treat retention as an integral part of our partnership, not just an add-on to recruitment. This means ensuring that compensation complies with the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA), providing access to a coordinator who speaks the employees’ languages, and holding regular discussions with the client to identify at which stage of the partnership resignations most frequently occur.
If your company is noticing increasing turnover among temporary workers, we’d be happy to analyze the current situation and identify the factors most likely contributing to it.
── FAQ ──
Where do temporary workers most often go after their assignment ends?
According to Uitzendmonitor 2025 (SEO Economisch Onderzoek for ABU), 28% of temporary workers move on to another temporary assignment after their current one ends. Only 6% of the total transition directly to permanent employment, though among so-called “regular” temporary workers, this percentage rises to 11% within a quarter. (Uitzendmonitor 2025, SEO Economisch Onderzoek)
Can an employer in the Netherlands still deduct housing costs from an employee’s pay?
Yes. The Dutch government decided in October 2025 that the planned phased phase-out of this practice would not take effect as of January 1, 2026. Employers may continue to deduct up to 25% of the minimum wage for the accommodation costs of migrant workers.
What percentage of temporary workers in the Netherlands are foreign nationals?
According to CBS data from 2024, 52.4% of temporary workers in the Netherlands were born abroad, mainly in Poland, Romania, Ukraine, and Bulgaria. More than 67% of them have lived in the Netherlands for less than two years. (CBS, January 2026)
What changes does the new collective bargaining agreement (CAO) for temporary workers bring in 2026?
The CAO for Temporary Workers, effective from January 1, 2026, through the end of 2028, replaces the previous “inlenersbeloning” with the “gelijkwaardige beloning” principle—temporary workers are to receive a package of employment conditions equivalent in value to that of a permanent employee in a similar position.
What is the minimum wage in the Netherlands as of July 2026?
As of July 1, 2026, the statutory minimum hourly wage for workers aged 21 and older is 14.99 EUR per hour. Separate youth rates apply to younger workers.
Does poor onboarding really affect turnover among temporary workers?
Yes, especially among workers who have recently arrived in the Netherlands. A lack of clear communication in an understandable language, unclear health and safety rules, and the absence of a designated contact person during the first weeks of employment are among the most common causes of early resignations.
How can a company begin to reduce turnover among temporary workers?
The quickest results come from verifying pay against the current collective bargaining agreement (CAO) and the minimum wage, establishing a clear communication channel in a language the team understands, and including temporary workers in daily team communication on an equal footing with permanent employees.
