COUNTRIES, North America
Posted on by

HRsolution » COUNTRIES » Netherlands Antilles

The Netherlands Antilles ceased to exist as a political entity in 2010, having been split into various autonomous countries and special municipalities within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Today, these are the autonomous countries of Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten, as well as the special municipalities Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba, collectively known as the “Caribbean Netherlands.” Despite their political separation, these areas share many common features. Here is the information on the mentioned points:

Population

    • Curaçao: approximately 150,000
    • Sint Maarten: around 40,000
    • Aruba: about 110,000
    • Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, Saba (combined): around 25,000

Capital

    • Curaçao: Willemstad
    • Sint Maarten: Philipsburg
    • Aruba: Oranjestad
    • Bonaire: Kralendijk
    • Sint Eustatius: Oranjestad (not to be confused with Aruba)
    • Saba: The Bottom

Economic Power

    • The economies of the former Netherlands Antilles rely heavily on tourism, especially in Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten.
    • Oil refineries (especially in Curaçao), financial services, trade, and fishing are also important. The islands benefit from offshore banking and maritime trade.
    • The Caribbean Netherlands (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, Saba) have smaller economies that depend more on services, fishing, and agriculture.

Culture

    • The culture of the former Netherlands Antilles is a mix of European, African, and indigenous influences. Carnival is a significant cultural event.
    • Music styles such as Salsa, Merengue, and local forms like Tambú and Tumba are popular.
    • The official language is Dutch, but Papiamentu (on Curaçao, Aruba, and Bonaire), English (on Sint Maarten, Saba), and Spanish are widely spoken.

Currency

    • Curaçao and Sint Maarten: Netherlands Antillean Guilder (ANG)
    • Aruba: Aruban Florin (AWG)
    • Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, Saba: US Dollar (USD)

Health Insurance and Social Security System

    • The islands have social security systems that include health insurance, pension insurance, and other social protections.
    • The Caribbean Netherlands (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, Saba) have a comprehensive public health insurance system (Zorgverzekering BES). Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten also have public and private health insurance systems.

Employer Costs

    • Employers must contribute to social security (health insurance, pension insurance). The exact percentages vary by island.
    • Labor costs are relatively high compared to Europe, mainly due to social security contributions.

Salary and Bonuses

    • Salaries vary widely depending on the profession and island, but are generally lower than in the Netherlands.
    • Bonuses and additional benefits are often part of employment contracts, especially in service sectors such as tourism and hospitality.

Payroll

    • Payroll typically includes details of the base salary, any bonuses, taxes, and social security contributions. Holiday pay is usually shown separately.

Public Holidays

  • The islands have their own national holidays, but there are also shared celebrations, such as New Year’s Day, Christmas, Carnival, and national memorial days.

Working Hours

  • The typical workweek is 40 hours, spread over five days.
  • Variations are common in sectors like tourism, where work on weekends and holidays is standard.

Vacation

  • Employees are entitled to 20 to 24 vacation days per year, depending on the length of service and the respective island.

Sick Leave

  • In the event of illness, regulations for continued pay vary by island and type of employment. In most cases, employees are entitled to up to 12 weeks of paid sick leave.

Termination/Severance

  • The islands’ labor laws regulate dismissal protection, with various requirements, such as notice periods. In many cases, dismissals must be approved by the government.
  • Severance pay is often part of dismissal agreements, depending on the length of service and type of employment contract.

The Netherlands Antilles was a diverse region, and today there are differences between the individual islands, although they share many historical commonalities.

Our services: