Dominique

Attorney from France

Dominique: I am Dominique and I am a French attorney. I first came to the Netherlands for my studies. After a year, I returned to France and finished law school. Then I started to look for a job in the Netherlands and was offered a position in a firm in a major Dutch city. 

The partner of the firm made me a job offer, using the 30% as part of my salary incentive. I got the 30% but only for 7 years (probably due to my previous time in the Netherlands). 

I stayed 3 years at the firm and changed jobs in September of 2017. We applied again for the 30% which at first was rejected. Apparently my former boss made a mistake in my tax calculations, and while I was indeed entitled to the 30% ruling, I received too much back in taxes.

As part of keeping my 30% ruling, I made a deal with the belastingdienst that I would pay back the excess money my employer paid me and they would grant to me the 30% until 2021. Now I  have learned that I will possibly only have the 30% ruling until January 2019. I would have not made such a deal with the belastingdienst for such a period of time as I may have to pay back more than what I will receive. I really hope we can keep the 30% ruling until 2021. As a lawyer, I never seen such behavior from one party in regards to a contract.

They say expats have no power to vote, so the government doesn't care about what we say. However, my husband is Dutch and he can vote and will support the government keeping the deal it made with us