Does The Candidate Qualify for a Netherlands Work Permit?
To qualify for a Netherlands work permit, the candidate should be a professional and have the skill set and qualifications necessary to fill a position that has already been unsuccessfully advertised in the Netherlands, or which is subject to recognised shortages. There is a legal requirement that the candidate is between 18 and 45 years of age, although it is unlikely that a candidate under the age of 23 would have the relevant experience or skills necessary to fill a professional position.
If the you are a non-Netherlands company supplying services to a Netherlands based client, then the candidate should usually have been employed by you outside the Netherlands for at least six months.
The salary paid to the candidate should be greater than the minimum wage level outlined in previous section about Netherlands work permits.
Candidates who are nationals of the following countries are exempted from the requirement to obtain a Netherlands residence visa (MVV), but should obtain a residence permit (VTV) if remaining in the Netherlands for longer than six months.
- All EU countries
- Norway
- Iceland
- Liechtenstein
- Switzerland
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Australia
- Canada
- United States
For nationals of all other countries, the candidate should apply for a residence permit (MVV) at the Royal Netherlands Embassy in their normal country of residence before a work permit application is made. The candidate is then prohibited from travelling to any Schengen state until a decision is made on the application. Once the work permit is approved, the MVV is granted by the Embassy within a period of a few days to several months, in the cases of certain countries.
NB: A Netherlands work permit is employer-specific. If a candidate has a permit to work for one company, and they want to work for another Netherlands company, this would not be possible – unless/until the new company has obtained another work permit in their name.