Animan and Anita share their journey from Netherlands to India after 9 years - the healthcare nightmare that triggered their move, financial planning strategies, and why 40-50% of European salary can give you a better life in India.
After 9 years in Netherlands and a healthcare crisis that changed everything, Animan and Anita share their strategic move to India - the financial planning, job search strategies, and why 40-50% of European salary gives you a better life.
What happens when the healthcare system fails you at your most vulnerable moment? For Animan and Anita, it was the wake-up call that changed their 9-year Netherlands plan. After a month-long illness with their young son, waiting 6 hours in emergency only to be sent home with paracetamol, they realized that no amount of tax benefits or infrastructure could replace family support and reliable healthcare. Their story is a masterclass in strategic financial planning, job search execution, and recognizing when it's time to move - even if it means leaving behind a comfortable life.
Both Animan and Anita are IT professionals who moved to Netherlands in 2015 for a specific financial reason.
"We were planning to buy a house and that at that time I asked my manager 'I want to go somewhere outside so that he can pay the EMIs.' The very next day he came and asked 'do you want to go to Netherlands?' I said okay, that's fine. We'll go there and come back in two years." — Animan
"We went with the thought of coming back in two years. But when we reached there, we were told 'you are not going back in two years.' Whoever we told that we are going back in two years were like 'no that's not going to happen.' We also came like that only but it's like stay there forever."
What changed their minds? The 30% ruling.
The 30% ruling is a Dutch tax benefit for highly skilled immigrants that significantly reduces tax burden.
"There is this 30% ruling thing in Netherlands. You can exclude 30% of your income from tax - the very first 30% is made as non-taxable. After that they have very high amount of tax but this 30% makes a big difference. At that time when we went there it was for about 8 years. Then in 2020 it was reduced to 5 years."
"For highly skilled immigrants who work there, you have to apply for it. I got that - she wasn't eligible because she didn't get a job within three months. Language barrier was there so it took her 10 months to get a job. So she wasn't eligible for this 30% thing."
"It was initially just 30% till 5 years. But now it's like 30%, then they make it 20%, then make it 10% over the five years, and after five years become zero. So they're discouraging it now."
Despite the financial benefits, one month in early 2024 changed their entire trajectory.
"In January we all fell sick - very sick. First we got influenza, then we had COVID. For over a month we couldn't work. There was no medical help. We were waiting even for 6 hours in the emergency with a kid with both of us in fever - high fever, kid is 40 plus, not eating or drinking anything."
"We're waiting in emergency to see the doctors. Then three or four assistants are coming doing the same things - breathe in, breathe out, look here, look there. Even he was frustrated, he was tired because every now and then three to four assistants came but the doctor never came. And then at the end they said 'because he's responding, please go back home, give paracetamol.'"
"That's when it really triggered - that's now I want to go back no matter what. Even if I'm not having a job, I want to get out of that place. We were on our own there. Our family was there back in India worried for us. All the emotional help they could do for us - talking to doctors here, medicines were ready - but how to send them? One of our friends was coming so she got some medicines for my kid."
No preventative healthcare, no private options even if you can pay, long waits, and universal prescription: paracetamol. Indians in Netherlands commonly get medicine shipped from India through travelers because getting prescriptions is so difficult.
After the health crisis, they took a systematic approach to their decision.
"After coming back from hospital when we were stable and fine, we actually made an Excel sheet, did all the calculation and we figured out what is bare minimum for us to have a comfortable life there. That's when things just everything fell into place very beautifully."
"We put our bare minimum requirements starting with the maid - that was the first thing. Then the school, the car, travel commute, basic necessities - food, grocery. Then what else do we need - miscellaneous like traveling out, going on vacation. We did a rough estimation of a high-end estimation of what we would need."
"We decided okay we are not looking for any fancy numbers right now. We're looking for a number which can give us what we need and whatever extra is our luxury. We decided with one person salary - if one is getting 30 lakhs, then it's fine, we just move back."
They also had a house in Bangalore that was rented out, which helped with the financial equation.
Their financial analysis provides valuable insights for other NRIs considering the move.
"The living standard that you can maintain in India against what you can do in Europe - it's less than 40 or 50% of European salary. If you're getting 40 or 50% of European salary, you can maintain same or even better in India."
"For a family of three without rent, the bare minimum was 30 to 40 lakhs. We were fine with that because we didn't have to pay any rent. If you include rent, it's very subjective. In Bangalore, rent for a 3BHK can't be below 60k in a good society. But we already have a good house in community so that brought our number down."
"The biggest two expenses are the house and kids' education. If you're financially sound here, a lot of problems that people talk about in India go away - a lot of struggles that people have in their mind about moving to India."
Their job search execution was strategic and successful.
"We created our LinkedIn and Monster profile and we did that with India number. We activated two India numbers and kept it with us. That's what made the recruiters in India reach out to you. We very clearly in our description mentioned that with a date - this is the date I am available to work. Because otherwise they normally think that they are just trying out - if this doesn't happen, what if they are coming back?"
"My company was an MNC so I was sure I would get an internal transfer. We talked about it and my manager said okay, we'll initiate it. I got the timeline that about June and July it will be done. So we had about 3-4 months to plan everything else."
"I was very cautious - it was a conscious decision that I don't want to go in any service-based company if I'm moving back to India. I was only focusing on product-based companies. I applied to two precisely and the second one I got. This all happened in that one month of time. I got a position of senior data engineer."
"When the interview was going on, I didn't have OCI or anything. After the interview I was telling him 'I'm very positive I might get it but what if I tell them I still don't have OCI?' The very next day OCI came. Generally OCI takes 7-8 weeks. For me it was the fifth week and the very next day I had this interview. I was ready and very next day I got the offer letter confirmation."
Both share insights on working in IT in Netherlands vs India.
"In Netherlands there's no big increase in packages when you switch or when the year changes. It's like 1%, 2%, 3% year on year. Plus if you switch, there's no big difference. It kind of gets saturated after a point. In India if you try out, you might get 30-40% in a general increment."
"In Netherlands, after your office hours are done, it's done. Work is stopped and you can focus on other things. But the life felt very mechanical at the point, especially after the kids. Before there we were just traveling and having fun. When you really want stability in life, when you get kids, when you get mature, when you get age - when you want to really enjoy what you have earned - there is nobody other than the two of us."
"I have seen from my personal experience people for whom returned back and it didn't work - they don't say it, they put it on pollution and stuff like that. But the social or the family support is missing. They don't feel connected to the family. If you are having a failure in general in life but you have your loved ones around you supporting you, you will get through it. You will not feel like running away."
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Tax benefit for highly skilled immigrants where first 30% of income is non-taxable. Originally 8 years, reduced to 5 years in 2018-2020. Now further reduced: 30% → 20% → 10% over 5 years, then 0%. This makes Netherlands less attractive for long-term NRI stays.
40-50% of European salary gives same or better lifestyle. For family of three without rent: 30-40 lakhs/year covers necessities. Key factors: house rent and kids' education are biggest expenses. If you own a house, required salary drops significantly.
Severe illness (influenza + COVID) for over a month. 6-hour emergency wait with sick child, only prescribed paracetamol. 'After coming back from hospital, we made an Excel sheet and decided - June or July we are moving back, no matter what.'
Created LinkedIn/Monster profiles with Indian phone numbers. Clearly mentioned availability date. Had tickets booked. Focused on product companies. Animan got internal transfer, Anita got product company offer. Anita's OCI was approved the day after her interview.
Makes recruiters reach out to you. Combined with clear availability date and booked tickets, shows employers you're serious. 'Otherwise they think you're just trying out - what if this doesn't happen?'
No preventative healthcare, no private options even if you can pay, long waits, universal prescription is paracetamol. Indians commonly get medicine shipped from India through travelers because getting prescriptions is difficult.
Netherlands: Relaxed, work stops after hours, but mechanical and lonely. India: More dynamic, better career growth in IT, comparable pay for same lifestyle. Netherlands: 1-3% annual raises. India: 30-40% when switching jobs.
Critical. 'If you're having a failure but have loved ones supporting you, you'll get through it. You won't feel like running away.' People who returned without family support often blame pollution/traffic but really miss family connection.
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Turn what worked for one family into a dated plan across tax, money, documents, and logistics.
