Global Expansion Resources | The Netherlands

There are two types of work permits available for the Netherlands:

• employment permit (TWV) – valid for employment lasting less than 90 days.
• single permit (GVVA), or combined residence and work permit. Valid for employment lasting over 90 days.

The type of permit needed depends on how long an employee will be working in the Netherlands and whether they need residency in the country. You will need both a work visa and a residence visa to live and work in the Netherlands, however, some may be given the option to combine this into a single visa.

While the same criteria is used to assess applications for both the above visas, the main difference is that foreign workers can apply for a GVVA themselves, but only employers can apply for a TWV.

You can find out more about this on the Dutch Government website. 

Most employees outside of the EU, EEA or Switzerland will need to apply for both a work and residency permit to work in the Netherlands. This includes an MVV temporary resident permit to enter the country and then a GVVA to live and work in the country for longer than 3 months or a TWV for short term employment. In some circumstances, these can be combined into one application or visa.

To apply for these visas employees at a minimum need to have:

• A valid passport
• Job offer and employment contract that offers the Dutch minimum wage
• Documentation as shown on the IND website

Meanwhile, employers must:

• Be registered with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND). This is where employers must also submit applications
• Have the documentation listed on the IND
• Prove that the job you are recruiting for has been advertised to Dutch, EU and Swiss nationals before looking to hire foreign nationals.

The requirements outlined above are only the minimum obligations that employees and employers must fulfil when applying for work and residency permits in the Netherlands. Far more red tape and documentation can arise depending on individual circumstances. Endeavouring to navigate this with no or little prior exposure to Dutch work permits and the IND can cause non-compliance as well as long, drawn out application processes.

Dutch visa fees largely depend on the application you are making and what documentation is ultimately required. As a rough guide, visa costs in the Netherlands can start at anything from $85 to $300. However, it is worth remembering that as well as the cost to apply for a Dutch visa, the cost of extra staff to process these applications or the cost of non-compliance can make obtaining a Dutch visa an expensive process for your business. 

Taking on average 3 months, applying for a Dutch visa is not only a complex but also a time-consuming process that has the potential to put your global expansion on hold.  The different requirements and visa types are hard to navigate while registering and complying with the IND is laden with red tape.

Applying independently can result in non-compliance which in turn runs a huge risk of fines, penalties and can jeopardise your new expansion into the Netherlands. On top of visa applications, you will also need to consider payroll, tax, national insurance contributions, recruitment and employment contracts to name but a few.

A PEO partner can take all of this from your shoulders, allowing you to focus on your company’s expansion knowing that visa applications and employee management is taken care of compliantly. Our Dutch team has extensive experience dealing with the IND and applying for different types of visas. They are therefore best placed to ensure you and your employees comply with Dutch visa laws. If you want to find out more about how our PEO Services in the Netherlands can support your global expansion, call our experts today on +44 (0) 20 8129 6860 or email [email protected].