Ripped-off foreign workers struggle to get their rightful pay

It is almost impossible for foreign workers who have been shortchanged by their employers to get their money, figures from aid organisation Fairwork have shown.

From the 131 reports of outstanding wages the organisation received over 2022, 2023 and 2024, none have led to the employers giving the workers what is owed them, a spokesman for Fairwork told the Volkskrant.

Amounts can vary from“between €300 to sometimes €10,000,” he said.

According to a spokeswoman for the inspectorate, recovering outstanding wages is not a priority although most of the cases are “still being investigated”.

“Fining a company that is employing 30 illegal workers is more effective than helping individual workers chase their money,” she said, adding that the way for workers to get their money is to take the employer to court.

According to Fairwork, that is a “shortsighted approach” as procedures are costly and time-consuming.

“The inspectorate can not tackle excesses without reports. It is difficult enough to get exploited workers to file a complaint and if that doesn’t get them anywhere they will not bother, the spokesman said.

There are some 850,000 foreign workers in the Netherlands. Most do low-skilled and low-paid jobs and depend on their employer for accommodation. Many don’t speak the language and have no idea of their rights.

Yuliia Ravliuk who is owned €1,200 by a tulip grower in Nieuw-Vennep, told the paper she was always paid €200 to €300 less than specified in her contract. “And in the end, they withheld my wages for two months,” she said.

Fairwork wants a single designated office for duped workers to report complaints about withheld payments.