Permits and procedures when hiring foreign employees
There are several things to consider when hiring employees from abroad. For example, how long will they be in the Netherlands? And do the employees need a residence permit or a work permit? Find out what your business needs to consider and arrange.
Key terms related to immigration procedures
Is it the first time your business is planning to hire employees from outside the Netherlands? Then the following terminology about permits and procedures may also be new to you. Click on each title to find out more:
This is an authorisation to work. In Dutch it is called a tewerkstellingsvergunning or TWV. It is issued by the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV). The work permit is often used for employment situations up to 90 days, but it may also be needed for longer.
This is a combined residence and work permit. In Dutch it is called the Gecombineerde vergunning verblijf en arbeid but is more commonly shortened to GVVA. And in English, it is known more simply as the 'single permit'.
The single permit can be issued by the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) for employment longer than 90 days. The employee is given a residence card plus an additional document stating the employer and the conditions of the permit. Read more about the single permit on ind.nl.
This is an entry visa required by many nationalities from outside the EU, EEA, or Switzerland, if the employee will live and work in the Netherlands for more than 90 days. In Dutch it is called the machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf or MVV.
An MVV is not always needed. If it is, the MVV and residence permit (verblijfsvergunning, VVR) are applied for together as part of the Entry and Residence Procedure (TEV).
Check the list of MVV exemptions on ind.nl.
This is an organisation (employer) checked and approved by IND to sponsor foreign employees. Being a recognised sponsor means the business can benefit from faster, simplified procedures. It must also fulfil several obligations, such as providing IND with up-to-date information, record‑keeping, and duty of care.
What do you need to arrange for your foreign employee?
Use these 3 questions as a starting point to find out what you need for your (future) employee:
1. What is the nationality of your (future) employee?
EU, EEA, or Switzerland
No residence or work permit is needed to live and work in the Netherlands. You do not need to answer questions 2 and 3.
Outside the EU, EEA, or Switzerland
A permit is usually required. Answer questions 2 and 3 below.
2. How long will your employee work in the Netherlands?
Up to 90 days
In most cases, you must arrange a work permit for the employee. Depending on their nationality, the employee may also need to apply for a short-stay visa.
More than 90 days
Arrange a residence permit for the employee. In many situations, this is a combined residence and work permit issued by IND.
3. What kind of work will the employee perform?
Different types of work require different permits. For example:
- Research or academic work: The residence permit researcher (Directive (EU) 2016/801) is a separate residence permit and may apply instead of the highly skilled migrant procedure.
- Seasonal work: You may need to arrange a work permit or single permit. Read more about seasonal workers.
- Regular employment: A single permit (GVVA) is usually needed. But you may need to show that there are no other suitable candidates in the EU or EEA.
Each permit has different conditions, income requirements, and sponsor requirements.
Residence permits for highly skilled employees and researchers
In the Netherlands, there are several knowledge and talent permits that businesses can use to attract and retain international talent. For example, the highly skilled migrant scheme, the EU Blue Card, the intra corporate transferee, and the residence permit researcher. The residence permits for highly skilled employees have specific requirements related to the employee’s skills, qualifications, expertise, and salary.
Read more about permits for your highly skilled employees.
Other employment situations to consider
Below are several other situations related to hiring employees from abroad:
For general paid employment, the standard route for hiring an employee from outside of the EU, EEA, or Switzerland is the single permit (GVVA).
Keep in mind that arranging permits for employees in regular paid employment can be more difficult than for highly skilled employees. This is because of the labour‑market requirement. As the employer, you must demonstrate that no other suitable candidate is available within the EU or EEA. To do so, you must usually register the job opening with UWV.
Read more about the single permit on ind.nl.
Exceptions
For some roles, such as media correspondents or employees covered by an international agreement, the GVVA is not possible. Then the employer must arrange a residence permit for paid employment and a separate work permit.
Find out about applying for only the residence permit on ind.nl.
If you temporarily post workers from the EU, EEA, or Switzerland to the Netherlands, you must report this in advance. You need to inform the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (SZW) how long the employees will stay and what work they will do.
Read more about this notification requirement in the article Posting employees to the Netherlands.
Do you want to allow a foreign worker to temporarily come to the Netherlands to work? And would hiring a foreign employee for this project not compete with the labour supply from the Netherlands and the EU? Then your business may be eligible for the ‘International scheme for specialist knowledge’. This allows you to hire professionals from abroad without needing to apply for a work permit for them.
Your company must first apply to UWV to use this procedure. UWV must approve the project that the employee will work on. If approved, the decision is valid for up to 3 years. Read about the International scheme for specialist knowledge or skills on uwv.nl.
Please note: the employee must still have a valid permit or visa to come to the Netherlands. Will the project last longer than 90 days? And are they coming from outside the EU, EEA, or Switzerland? Then you must apply for a residence permit for them.
Read more about the International Trade Regulation on ind.nl.
Is your company based in the EU, EEA, or Switzerland and does it temporarily carry out work in the Netherlands? In some cases, you may send employees who are from outside the EU, EEA, or Switzerland without a Dutch work or residence permit.
This is only allowed if:
- the employees are allowed to live and work in the country where your company is established;
- the work in the Netherlands is temporary and part of a service provided by your company; and
- this is not a situation where staff are supplied to another company.
Read more about temporary cross‑border services and the conditions.
Does your business qualify as a startup? And is the development and growth of your startup dependent on hiring highly skilled foreign experts? Startups can apply for a residence arrangement for essential personnel.
This scheme makes it easier and faster for startups to hire essential foreign personnel. For example, the startup does not have to meet the recognised sponsor requirement that is needed for the residence permit for highly skilled migrants.
This residence scheme will continue until 1 June 2028.
Read more about the residence arrangement for essential personnel for startups on ind.nl.
Seasonal work is typically temporary work in agriculture or horticulture. If you want to hire a seasonal worker from outside the EU, EEA, or Switzerland, different rules apply than for regular employment. For stays of more than 90 days, the employee needs a single permit (GVVA) for seasonal work, which combines residence and work. IND decides on the application but always asks UWV for advice on the labour‑market aspect. For shorter stays of up to 90 days, only a TWV and any necessary visa are required.
Read more about the residence permit for seasonal work on ind.nl.
Inform your employee
It is good to inform your employee of what must be arranged for stays of 4 months or longer. For example, registration in the Personal Records Database to get a citizen service number (BSN). And to arrange health insurance in the Netherlands. Find out what needs to be arranged when coming to the Netherlands on government.nl.
Family members of your foreign employees
Permits for family members of an employee are not usually arranged by an employer. It is still good practice to be aware of the rules so that you can tell your employee what to expect. For example, family members must have their own residence permit to live in the Netherlands. They apply for this permit themselves, with the employee acting as their sponsor. Their right to work is shown on their residence document. In most cases, the permit states that work is allowed without a TWV. Find out more about permits for family members on ind.nl.
Get help and advice
Employing foreign employees can be complex. This is especially true if you are hiring foreign staff for the first time. Getting expert advice can help you avoid mistakes. Errors or rejected applications can cause delays and extra costs for both your business and the employee.
Do you need help or advice about arranging residence permits for an employee? Check the list of possible residence permits. For each permit, the IND website asks you to fill in the nationality of the employee, then provides custom information for that situation.
For personal advice, you can contact IND by telephone, online chat, or the contact form.
Do you need help applying for a work permit? Find out how to apply for a work permit.
For personal advice, contact UWV by telephone or via the employer portal.