BLOGS

What It Really Costs to Employ Someone in Europe: Employer On-Costs by Country (2026)

24.06.2026

What It Actually Costs to Employ Someone in Europe: Employer On-Costs by Country (2026) Most hiring conversations in Europe start with the salary. The budget is the salary. The offer is the salary. The approval is the salary. The salary is usually between 20 and 45 percent of what the hire actually costs. Employer on-costs — social security contributions, pension obligations, insurance premiums, and other mandatory employer payments on top of gross salary — vary sign...

The Kennismigrant Visa: How to Sponsor Highly Skilled Migrants in the Netherlands

22.06.2026

The Kennismigrant Visa: Sponsoring a Highly Skilled Migrant in the Netherlands Why the Netherlands is the EU's most attractive talent destination The Netherlands has built one of the most efficient highly-skilled migration systems in Europe. Through the kennismigrant route — formally called the Highly Skilled Migrant (HSM) scheme — employers can hire non-EU talent quickly, with predictable processing, predictable cost, and predictable rules. In 2024, ...

What Counts as a Compliant Salary Range Under the EU Pay Transparency Directive?

17.06.2026

Most employers responded to the EU Pay Transparency Directive by adding a salary line to their job ads. A range that looks something like this: €40,000 to €120,000. That is almost certainly not compliant. And it is going to cause problems. The directive became enforceable on 7 June 2026. Its requirement that employers disclose pay information before or during the hiring process is now binding across all 27 EU member states. But the directive is deliberately silent on exactly ...