Tax inspectors to visit Amsterdam prostitutes

DutchAmsterdam.nl — Prostitutes in Amsterdam have been told that starting this year they will have to pay income tax.

Inspectors employed by the Tax Administration (Belastingdienst) will endeavor to visit all prostitutes before the end of this year in order to check their business administration.

Among other things prostitutes will be asked to provide such information as how many clients they have, and what their earnings and expenses are.

Prostitution became a legal profession in the Netherlands in the year 2000 — at the same time that a ban on brothels came into effect. Ever since, prostitutes have been legally classified as self-employed entrepreneurs.

However, for humanitarian reasons until now prostitutes did not have to pay income tax since the Tax Administration deemed them to be essentially victims of human trafficking who were already being exploited by their pimps.

Given that the profession has now been legal for 10 years, and taking into account the recent efforts on the part of the municipality of Amsterdam to clean up the Red Light District, the Tax Administration believes the time has come for prostitutes to pay income tax.

City officials believe that among the 3000 prostitutes working in Amsterdam are still some victims of human trafficking.