Work permit requirements

There are two main requirements for expats who
wish to get a work permit in the Netherlands:

› The company that you have applied for and is
about to hire you, initiates the work permit
process for you, and the HR department has to
prove that the job position has been advertised
as well both Dutch and EU candidates have
been interviewed.

In case an expatriate loses his/her job, the
permit is no longer valid. If the employee wants
to work for another company in the Netherlands
then the new employer should initiate the
process for a work permit again on behalf of the
employee.

› The other way is to have an EU partner.
However, as you have to prove that you are in a
relationship and live together. As in the previous
case, if you break up or move out, you are not
allowed to work in the Netherlands anymore.


Further information

› CWI Tewerkstellingsvergunningen
Postbus 883
2700 AW Zoetermeer
Tel. +31 (0)79 750 29 03

› Institute for Employee Benefit Schemes
Postbus 58285
1040 HG Amsterdam
Tel. +31 (0)113 75 03 50

› Labor Inspectorate (also in english)
Postbus 820
3500 AV Utrecht
Tel. +31 0800 27 000

Highly skilled immigrants

An employer should submit a signed statement
to the IND in order to become eligible to hire
highly skilled immigrants (kennismigranten). In
addition, the employee should have a gross
annual income of at least 49.087 or 35.997*
euros if he/she is under 30 years old. The salary
criterion does not apply if the person is being
employed as a researcher or scientist at an
educational or research institution, a university
lecturer or a specialized doctor.

Graduates who finished their studies in a Dutch
educational institution or they have obtained an
MA/MSc or PhD from one of the top 150
universities worldwide (according to the lists
published by Times Higher Education
Supplement or Shanghai Jia Tong University in
2007) are qualified for a search year (zoekjaar).
During this year they are free to look for a job
without an income criterion. The graduate
himself/herself arranges the application for the
search year. Graduates, who find a job within the
search year, are eligible for a work permit only if
their minimum yearly salary starts from 25.800
euros*.

For more information about hiring an expat
employee in the Netherlands download the IND’s
brochure "Bringing a foreign employee in the
Netherlands" here or visit workpermit.nl.

* Note that these amounts are valid for 2009 and
updated annually.