Sign to support non-EU freelancers in the Netherlands obtain equal access to corona support ("TOZO") without jeopardising their visa status.
Cultural Workers, Freelancers, Gig Workers and Allies
Extend corona-specific financial assisstance (TOZO) to non-EU citizens living & working in the Netherlands. TOZO must apply to all residency-permit-holding ZZP'ers/self-employed persons without employees, regardless of nationality.
Ensure that eligibility for TOZO does not negatively affect visa-holders' ongoing viability as legal residents of NL.
Exempt non-EU ZZP'ers from fulfilling income-requirement measures during the pandemic.
Thank you for signing the petition "Coronavirus support (TOZO) for residency-permit-holding ZZP'ers".
On Friday we had good news.
The State Secretary of Justice and Security in the Netherlands communicated that a non-EU citizen can claim the TOZO benefit without any negative consequences on their right of residence in the Netherlands.
A translation of the announcement by immigration lawyer Jeremy Bierbach:
"[They] will make an exception for non-EU citizens with a residence permit for definite time [i.e.
a non-permanent residence permit] with the purpose ‘work in self-employment’ who claim a benefit based on the Temporary Bridging Scheme for Self-Employed Entrepreneurs (TOZO). Considering the special circumstances and the temporary nature of the scheme, claiming a benefit based on this scheme will not have any consequences for the right of residence of the non-EU citizen in question."
Note: It's still unclear whether the TOZO support that all ZZP'ers can now claim can or will count towards the annual income requirement for non-EU freelancers that's a condition of one's residence permit (the freelance working visa / “arbeid als zelfstandige”). This petition calls for an exemption from the visa's income requirements (approx €15,000 p/a) during the pandemic. An alternative and also positive outcome would be if the TOZO support counted towards the income requirement.
Please follow Jeremy's blog for more comprehensive immigration law updates.
Clementine
Thank you for signing the petition "Coronavirus support (TOZO) for residency-permit-holding ZZP'ers".
On Friday we had good news.
The State Secretary of Justice and Security in the Netherlands communicated that a non-EU citizen can claim the TOZO benefit without any negative consequences on their right of residence in the Netherlands.
A translation of the announcement by immigration lawyer Jeremy Bierbach:
"[They] will make an exception for non-EU citizens with a residence permit for definite time [i.e.
a non-permanent residence permit] with the purpose ‘work in self-employment’ who claim a benefit based on the Temporary Bridging Scheme for Self-Employed Entrepreneurs (TOZO). Considering the special circumstances and the temporary nature of the scheme, claiming a benefit based on this scheme will not have any consequences for the right of residence of the non-EU citizen in question."
Note: It's still unclear whether the TOZO support that all ZZP'ers can now claim can or will count towards the annual income requirement for non-EU freelancers that's a condition of one's residence permit (the freelance working visa / “arbeid als zelfstandige”). This petition calls for an exemption from the visa's income requirements (approx €15,000 p/a) during the pandemic. An alternative and also positive outcome would be if the TOZO support counted towards the income requirement.
Please follow Jeremy's blog for more comprehensive immigration law updates. http://franssenadvocaten.nl/english/can-residence-permit-holders-apply-for-the-coronavirus-support-for-zzpers/
Clementine