What is a work permit and how to apply

A work permit (TWV), according to the Labour
Act for Alliens (WAV), is required for any non-EU
employee who comes to work in the Netherlands. In general, employers who wish to bring a non-
EU employee, are responsible for their work
permit application.

The employer should hand in a copy of the work
permit application, on behalf of the employee, to
the UWV WERKbedrijf, which is responsible to
inform IND (Immigration and Naturalization
Service) about the status of the application. A
non-EU employee must have a TWV (where
applicable) in order to obtain an MVV and/or a
residence permit. If an MVV is not required then
you can apply for the work permit after entering
the Netherlands. Expats, who are not required to
apply for a visa, are eligible to visit the
Netherlands for business meetings whilst the
work permit is being processed (but not
approved yet).

Once the application for a Dutch work permit has
been submitted, it takes 5 to 14 months,
depending on the complexity of each case, for
the work permit to be approved. Non-EU
students applying for a work permit, will also
need to hand in a proof of the residence permit
they obtained for their study purposes. The work
permit will be valid as long as the student
remains registered to the university.

For more information regarding the application
procedure click here (in Dutch).