Can my company obtain Netherlands work permits?

Employers can obtain a Dutch work permit for a non-EU national if:

  • They are a Netherlands-based and registered company, OR;
     

  • They are an EEA company that is providing services to a Netherlands company. If you fall into this category, you must outsource the administration of the candidate's remuneration to a Netherlands accountant. Unfortunately, you cannot normally apply for a Netherlands work permit if you are a Staff Agency / Recruitment company. You will have to provide a copy of the contract to provide services between the EEA company and the Dutch client.

Other conditions

The following conditions also apply:

  • The candidate must be paid more than the agreed minimum wage for the type of work being performed. Companies who fail to comply with this legislation are unlikely to be granted work permits for a further five years.
     

  • The position being filled must have been available for a minimum of 5 weeks, or 3 months in the case of positions defined as difficult to fill by the Dutch Employee Insurance Agency
     

  • The employer must have taken reasonable measures to fill the position with a worker from within the European Economic Area. In practice this means advertising the vacancy in newspapers, trade publications, and on the internet