That’s the principle behind a new Dutch government proposal to gradually eliminate housing cost deductions from the minimum wage, starting in 2026 and reaching zero by 2030. The measure is now open for public consultation until June 6, 2025.

Some call it overreach. I call it overdue.

The Proposal, in Plain Terms

Today, employers in the Netherlands can legally deduct up to 25% of the minimum wage to cover housing costs—especially in sectors that rely on migrant labor. These deductions are often applied to group housing, substandard facilities, or arrangements made without real consent.

The new rule, championed by Minister Eddy van Hijum (Social Affairs and Employment, NSC), proposes a step-by-step reduction of this deductible:

• 2026: max. 20%
• 2027: max. 15%
• 2028: max. 10%
• 2029: max. 5%
• 2030: 0%

By 2030, housing deductions on minimum wage will no longer be allowed at all.

Why It Matters: Deductions Can Be a Hidden Form of Exploitation

In theory, deductions help cover real costs. In practice, they can become a business model based on dependency. We’ve seen migrant workers left with €50 a week to live on, trapped in company-owned housing with no alternatives, no contracts in their own language, and no agency.

These aren’t edge cases. They are structural distortions in the labor market. And they flourish precisely because deductions are legal.

This proposal doesn’t just close a loophole—it shuts down a mechanism of silent financial control.

For Employers: A Chance to Reset, Not Resist

If you're an employer in agriculture, logistics, food production, or construction, this is your five-year window to restructure your agreements.

That means:

• Stop tying housing to employment in ways that limit worker freedom.
• Work with neutral housing providers.
• Offer transparent, market-based rents.
• Avoid deductions. Pay the full wage. Let workers choose.

Some businesses will resist. But the wisest ones will adapt—not because they have to, but because a fairer system is a stronger system. Compliance is not just about obeying rules. It's about building trust that lasts beyond inspections.

For Compliance Professionals: Beware the Illusion of Consent

Let’s be honest: some employers will try to “bypass” this law by:

• Having workers sign voluntary rent agreements that are still effectively mandatory.
• Structuring rent payments off the books.
• Offering ‘bonuses’ that just offset deductions elsewhere.

This is false transparency—it looks legal, but behaves like exploitation. And it will come under scrutiny.

So if you're a compliance officer or advisor, make sure your company:

• Keeps clear boundaries between employment and housing.
• Uses contracts in the worker’s own language.
• Provides clean documentation of rent pricing and housing conditions.
• Doesn’t offset housing against other forms of compensation.

The future of compliance is not about clever paperwork. It’s about structural integrity.

Public Consultation: Why Your Voice Matters

The draft decision is open on the Government Consultation Platform until June 6, 2025. Whether you’re a citizen, employer, trade union, or housing association—this is your chance to shape the final law.

Use it.

Because labor law should not only reflect economic logic. It should reflect human logic—and the simple truth that minimum means minimum. No fine print. No asterisks. No hidden deals.

Final Thought: Ethical Wages Require Ethical Structures

At Xtroverso, we work with entrepreneurs who want to do better—not just because it's the law, but because it’s the future.

If you're building a company, build it on dignity.

If you're managing payroll, protect the people behind the numbers.

If you're writing policies, don’t ask, “What can I get away with?”—ask, “What kind of system am I reinforcing?”