The coronavirus and your company

Most corona restrictions lifted

The last remaining corona restrictions have been lifted. Only the basic health and safety recommendations remain in place, such as isolating if you test positive for coronavirus.

Restrictions and advice lifted per 23 March:

• Face masks are no longer mandatory in public transport and surrounding facilities, such as stations and platforms. This also goes for professional transport, such as taxis and coach travel. Until 20 May, face masks are still required in airports after security checks and aeroplanes.
• The pre-admission testing measure (testen voor toegang, 1G) has been lifted for all events, including events with 500-plus visitors and nightclubs.
• Employees can work on location without restrictions. The advice to work from home has been lifted. The government does urge employers to make working from home optional.
• The corona entry pass (3G) is no longer required for travel into the Netherlands for EU citizens, or after a visit to an EU country. An entry ban is still in place for non-EU citizens.

Changes on 19 April:

• Self-quarantine is no longer a recommendation if you have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus. You are still advised to be alert to possible infection.
• A health declaration form is no longer needed for passengers flying to the Netherlands.
• The advice to take a self-test directly after arrival in the Netherlands and on day 5 has also been removed.

Which advice is still in place?

The number of corona infections is still high, but many people suffer only mild symptoms. To keep the infection rate within bounds, the basic measures remain. Such as:

• Wash your hands often.
• Sneeze and cough into your elbow.
• Do you have complaints? Stay at home and take a self-test. If you test positive, isolate for a minimum of 5 days.
• Ventilate indoor areas well.

Read all the basic rules on Government.nl.

Face mask requirement

Until 20 May, face masks remain mandatory in aeroplanes and in airports (after the security checks).

Employers and property managers can still ask of their employees or visitors that they wear a face mask. For example, in places where vulnerable people come, such as hospitals or care homes.

Testing for Access (1G) no longer required at events

Visitors no longer have to show a negative test result. Testing for Access (1G) is not required anymore at any event, large or small.

Corona rules for travel

Do you need to travel abroad for your work, or do you organise travel? The international QR-code remains mandatory for many countries. You can find the international QR-code in the CoronaCheck app for travelling internationally, should your destination country require the Digital COVID Certificate. Additional rules may apply in your destination country, for example testing or isolating upon entry.

View the up-to-date corona rules per country on Netherlandsworldwide.nl.

Returning to the Netherlands

You no longer need to isolate upon your return to the Netherlands. If you are an EU citizen, you do not need a corona entry pass.

Read the Government.nl section on Travelling to the Netherlands from abroad for detailed information. Or use the travel well-prepared tool.

On Government.nl you will also find checklists for travellers from outside the EU/Schengen area. These detail the current rules for entering the Netherlands from high-risk areas, exemptions, etc.

Working from home and advice for working on location

You and your employees may work on location again. You no longer need to keep 1.5 metres' distance on the workfloor. The Dutch government urges employers to make it possible for their staff to work from home, for example for employees who worry about their health. For employees who have complaints the rule remains: stay at home, and take a corona self-test.

Read more advice for working from home and on location.

Corona support: financial measures

You can no longer apply for the Reimbursement Fixed Costs Scheme (TVL). It closed on 31 March 2022. Did you start your business during the corona crisis? There will be a TVL scheme for starting companies, that were unable to apply for TVL previously.

Until 13 April 2022, you could apply for the Temporary Emergency Bridging Measure for Sustained Employment (NOW) for the 1st quarter of 2022.

Are you a self-employed professional without staff (zzp'er)? You can apply for the Decree on Social Assistance to the Self-Employed (Bbz, Besluit bijstandverlening zelfstandigen). Please note: since 1 April, your municipality will again take your own assets into acount.

There are several schemes to support business sectors, such as events and cultural institutions. And there are several loan schemes in place that can help your business.

For more information on these and other support measures now in place, see the article Corona support for entrepreneurs.

Taxes

The application period for the special extension of payment for most taxes ended on 31 March 2022. As of 1 April, you have to pay your taxes in time again. You can come to a payment settlement with the Dutch Tax Administration.

Repaying corona support

Did you receive financial corona support? For some measures, such as the NOW, you have to file a final turnover statement for every 3-month period over which you received support. You may have to repay part of the support money received. Or do you have a tax debt, because you were granted a special extension?

Read more about repaying corona support: what you need to know and do.

Information and advice

You can turn to these organisations for further information and advice: