Students of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba who study in the Netherlands, in the future will continue to build a retirement plan. The Cabinet agreed today with a proposal by State Secretary Jetta Klijnsma of Social Affairs and Employment who is responsible for this.
Currently, students who are now going from the Caribbean Netherlands to European Netherlands to study, no longer fall under the general old-age pension (AOV) BES during their studies in The Netherlands. Meaning that during this period the student does not build up the AOV BES. Only if he or she also works besides his or her studies in the Netherlands, this person will continue to build on the old age pension.
Klijnsma aims to prevent students from having a gap in their pension buildup for the time they spend in the Netherlands. For this it was decided that as of July 1, 2015, students will still continue to build up AOV BES as they study in the Netherlands.
The system also applies the other way, meaning that people from the Netherlands who travel to Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba for studies, will no longer build up the general old-age pension BES. However, they will remain insured under the AOW during their studies in the Caribbean Netherlands.