Working in Groningen (2026): sponsors, temporary contracts, and what to do if your job ends
Working in Groningen often starts with a temporary contract at a university, hospital or college. This guide covers the job market, sponsors, the chain rule, your pay rights and what to do when a job ends.
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Rules and figures from Rijksoverheid, the IND, UWV and the Civil Code · Checked 15 September 2026
Short answer
Working in Groningen often means a job at a university, a hospital or a public institution, frequently on a temporary contract. UWV counts more than 2.5 times as many vacancies as short-term jobseekers in the Groningen region, so the market favours workers. Know the chain rule: more than 3 temporary contracts, or more than 3 years of them, and the next contract is permanent unless your collective agreement says otherwise. If your job ends, apply for WW within a week and mind the court deadlines.
Key facts for 2026
- 12,450 vacancies were open on average in the UWV region Groningen in the first half of 2025.
- 1.1% is UWV’s expected job growth in the region between 2024 and 2027.
- 3 temporary contracts is the most before the next one with the same employer becomes permanent.
- 6 months or less between two contracts keeps them in the same chain.
- €5,942 gross a month is what a sponsor must pay a highly skilled migrant aged 30 or over in 2026.
- 2 months after a contract ends is the deadline to challenge a notice of dismissal in court.
This is general information about Dutch law, not legal advice for your situation. Rules change; figures are for 2026. No rights can be derived from this text.
Job market
Working in Groningen: the regional job market in 2026
Employers in the Groningen region still have more vacancies than they can easily fill, although job growth is slowing.
| UWV region Groningen | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Average vacancies, first half of 2025 | 12,450 | UWV |
| Vacancies per short-term jobseeker | more than 2.5 | UWV |
| Expected job growth, 2024 to 2027 | 1.1% | UWV |
- Growing and shrinking. UWV expects more jobs in construction and specialist business services and fewer in agency work and industry. Self-employed jobs decline because the Tax Administration checks harder for false self-employment (UWV); see our freelancing guide.
- Your first month. The University of Groningen warns new staff that administrative procedures may delay their first salary payment (University of Groningen).
- Contracts explained. Our employment contract guide covers each type.
Sponsors
Sponsors and salaries: jobs in Groningen for internationals
From outside the EU you need an employer on the IND sponsor register, and several of Groningen’s largest employers are on it.
The register lists the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, UMCG Universitair Medisch Centrum Groningen, the Hanzehogeschool Groningen and N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie, among many others (IND register). It gives names and Chamber of Commerce numbers, not work locations, so check each vacancy; our sponsorship jobs guide explains how to search it.
| 2026 gross monthly salary threshold | Amount |
|---|---|
| Highly skilled migrant, 30 or older | €5,942 |
| Highly skilled migrant, under 30 | €4,357 |
| After an orientation year (reduced criterion) | €3,122 |
Source: IND. Every employee aged 21 or over earns at least €14.99 gross an hour from 1 July 2026 (Rijksoverheid). The permit route is in our highly skilled migrant guide, and arriving is covered in IND and registration in Groningen, including the IWCN. Housing: renting in Groningen.
Contracts
Temporary contracts in Groningen: the chain rule and its exceptions
Universities, hospitals and colleges often start people on temporary contracts, so it pays to know when a chain turns into a permanent job.
| Rule | What it means for you | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Chain of temporary contracts | Permanent after more than 3 temporary contracts, or more than 3 years of them, with the same employer and gaps of at most 6 months; your cao can set other rules. | Rijksoverheid |
| Non-renewal | The employer owes a transition payment when a temporary contract is not renewed. | Rijksoverheid |
| Probation (proeftijd) | None on a contract of 6 months or less; at most 1 month up to 2 years; at most 2 months on longer or permanent contracts. | Rijksoverheid |
| Non-compete (concurrentiebeding) | Only valid in a temporary contract if the contract explains the weighty business interest behind it. | Rijksoverheid |
- Check your collective agreement. Agreements in the cao take precedence over the chain rule, and some jobs are excluded, such as temporary replacements for sick teachers in primary education (Rijksoverheid).
- A change is coming. The Senate approved the Act on more security for flexible workers on 7 July 2026; from 1 January 2028 workers on flexible contracts get more security about their income and working hours (Rijksoverheid).
- A follow-up contract normally carries no new probation, unless the job clearly needs different skills (Rijksoverheid). More in our probation guide and non-compete guide.
Your rights
Pay, leave and notice in Groningen: the legal minimum
These floors apply to every Groningen employee, whatever the contract or the employer.
| Right | The minimum | Source | Our guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holiday allowance | At least 8% of your gross annual salary | Rijksoverheid | Holiday allowance |
| Sick pay | At least 70% in year 1, and no less than the minimum wage; at least 70% in year 2 | Rijksoverheid | Sick leave |
| Resigning from a permanent job | 1 month’s notice | Rijksoverheid | Notice period |
| Your employer’s notice | 1 month under 5 years, 2 from 5 to 10, 3 from 10 to 15, 4 after 15 years | Rijksoverheid | Notice period |
Wages late? Read when your employer does not pay; expecting a child, our maternity leave guide.
Dismissal
When your job in Groningen ends: payment, WW, court and permit
The end of a job, whether a dismissal or a contract that simply runs out, starts deadlines that are easy to miss.
- Read before you sign An exit deal (vaststellingsovereenkomst) settles your end date, payment and WW; see our settlement agreement guide.
- Apply for WW on time Already out of work for more than a week when you apply? UWV will probably pay less or nothing for a while (UWV).
- Claim the transition payment 1/3 of a monthly salary per full year of service, capped at €102,000 gross in 2026 or one annual salary if higher (Rijksoverheid); it is also due when a temporary contract is not renewed (Rijksoverheid). Try our calculator.
- Keep the court deadlines 2 months after the contract ends to ask the kantonrechter to annul a notice or award fair compensation, and 3 months for a transition payment claim (Civil Code 7:686a); see our 2-month deadline guide.
- On a permit? Watch the search period Not to blame? The IND gives 3 months to find a new recognised sponsor, or up to 6 months after holding the permit for 2 years; it starts the day the contract ended and stops at your permit’s end date (IND). See what happens to your permit.
The court. Rechtbank Noord-Nederland has its courthouse in the centre of Groningen at Guyotplein 1 (Rechtspraak.nl), open on weekdays from 8.30 to 17.00 (Rechtspraak.nl). Start with what to do when you are dismissed.
Legal help
Employment lawyer for Groningen: when a call is worth it
Call before you sign an exit deal, before a chain of contracts quietly ends, and at once if your permit depends on your job.
- A contract chain that should be permanent: whether the chain rule or your cao applies depends on the details.
- Dismissal: the 2-month deadline is strict; see our wrongful termination guide.
- A free first consultation: FindLawyer starts with a free 15-minute call, and on a low income you may qualify for subsidised legal aid.
Contract ending or dismissed in Groningen? Talk to an employment lawyer
Need help with this? We match you with an English-speaking Dutch employment lawyer. Free 15-minute matching call first. Lawyer fees are paid to the firm and explained before you proceed.
Keep reading
Related guides
More of our guides for working in Groningen.
Dismissed: what to do
Your first week, step by step.
Exit dealsSettlement agreement
Before you sign the exit deal.
PaymentSeverance pay
The transition payment explained.
PermitsHighly skilled migrant job loss
Your permit after the job ends.
ArrivingIND and registration in Groningen
The IWCN, the city, your BSN.
HousingRenting in Groningen
Room permits, deposits, free help.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What should I know about working in Groningen?
Many international jobs in Groningen are at public institutions such as the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, the UMCG and the Hanzehogeschool, all recognised IND sponsors. Temporary contracts are common, so learn the chain rule and check your collective agreement. The regional market is tight, with more than 2.5 times as many vacancies as short-term jobseekers.
When does a temporary contract in Groningen become permanent?
Automatically once you have had more than 3 temporary contracts with the same employer, or worked on temporary contracts for more than 3 years in a row, with no more than 6 months between them. A collective agreement can set different rules, and some jobs, such as replacement teachers in primary education, are excluded.
My temporary contract is not being renewed. Do I get anything?
Yes: since 1 July 2015 an employer who does not renew a temporary contract owes a transition payment of 1/3 of a monthly salary per full year of service, up to €102,000 gross in 2026. Contracts with gaps of 6 months or less count together. If the employer does not pay, you can go to court within 3 months.
How long can I stay in Groningen after losing a highly skilled migrant job?
If you are not to blame, the IND gives you 3 months to find another recognised sponsor, or up to 6 months if you have held the permit for 2 years or more. The period starts on the day your employment contract ended and never lasts beyond the end date of your residence permit.
Where do employment disputes in Groningen go to court?
To Rechtbank Noord-Nederland, whose Groningen courthouse is at Guyotplein 1, open on weekdays from 8.30 to 17.00. A request to annul a notice of dismissal, or for fair compensation, must be filed within 2 months after the contract ended, and a claim about the transition payment within 3 months.
Is there a free employment lawyer consultation for Groningen?
FindLawyer offers a free 15-minute call and then matches you with an English-speaking Dutch employment lawyer for your case, whether a contract chain, a dismissal or a permit at risk. The lawyer’s fees are explained before you proceed, and on a low income you may qualify for subsidised legal aid.
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Official sources, checked 15 September 2026
- UWV: Groningen region in figures 2025 (in Dutch)
- University of Groningen: after arrival (new staff)
- IND: public register of recognised sponsors, work
- IND: required amounts and income requirements
- Rijksoverheid: minimum wage amounts 2026 (in Dutch)
- Rijksoverheid: when does my temporary contract become permanent? (in Dutch)
- Rijksoverheid: transition payment when a temporary contract is not renewed (in Dutch)
- Rijksoverheid: how long is a probation period? (in Dutch)
- Rijksoverheid: what is a non-compete clause? (in Dutch)
- Rijksoverheid: rules for a probation period (in Dutch)
- Rijksoverheid: how much holiday allowance do I get? (in Dutch)
- Rijksoverheid: how much pay do I get when I am ill? (in Dutch)
- Rijksoverheid: my notice period when I resign (in Dutch)
- Rijksoverheid: my employer’s notice period (in Dutch)
- UWV: applying for unemployment benefit (WW) (in Dutch)
- Rijksoverheid: how high is the transition payment? (in Dutch)
- Rijksoverheid: am I entitled to a payment when I am dismissed? (in Dutch)
- Dutch Civil Code, Book 7, article 686a (in Dutch)
- IND: brochure on working as a highly skilled migrant (form 3072, PDF)
- Rechtspraak.nl: directions to Rechtbank Noord-Nederland (in Dutch)
- Rechtspraak.nl: Rechtbank Noord-Nederland visitor information (in Dutch)
Final notes and legal disclaimer
- This article provides general information and is not tailored to your personal circumstances.
- It does not cover all situations, exceptions, or recent legal changes.
- Reading this article does not create a lawyer-client relationship with findlawyer.nl or any associated entity.
- No guarantee is given that this information is complete, accurate, or up to date.
- No rights can be derived from this article.
- For decisions about working in Groningen and employment law, or your specific situation, always consult a qualified professional.
FindLawyer is a lawyer-matching and case-preparation service, not a law firm. Legal advice comes from the partner lawyer.