Today, the internet consultation for the adjusted subsidy scheme More Hours of Work begins. With the adjusted scheme, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment aims to facilitate activities that encourage more hours of work. Industry organizations, O&O funds, employer and/or employee organizations can apply together or individually. The goal of the scheme is to contribute to combating the personnel shortage in sectors such as healthcare, childcare, and education.

The scheme is being adjusted because the current scheme was too complicated. As a result, many partnerships were unable to find the subsidy scheme. The revised scheme subsidizes the hiring of intervention partners at market-conform rates to carry out the implementation. Additionally, there are fewer administrative burdens. There is also an extra application period for subsidies from June 2 to June 16, 2025.

The first phase of the More Hours of Work program runs from 2024 to 2029, for which it has received €30 million from the National Growth Fund. Of that, €6.6 million is available for the implementation of seven interventions. Utrecht University will conduct research to determine whether the interventions are effective.

The internet consultation runs from April 8 to April 22, 2025.