Dutch Visas

Dutch Visas, Work Permits and Migration

Expanding into a country or hiring a workforce abroad can lead your business to great profits, but unfamiliar laws and regulations can counteract your company’s goals and plans. At Bradford Jacobs, we want to eliminate this complicated part. By using our PEO service, we can arrange all needed visas and permits including the entire application process without your physical presence.

Dutch visa, residency and permit regulations require expert guidance as they vary according to the country foreign nationals live in – the European Union, the European Economic Area and other foreign nationals are all affected by these complex regulations.

What Types of Work Visas, and Permits for Poland are there?

Individuals from the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland need not apply for a work permit, residence permit or entry visa, requiring just their national ID or passport.

Some non-EU countries have agreements regarding entry visas and their citizens are exempt, usually for 90 days in a 180-day period.

Employers wanting to employ Non-EU/EEA foreigners (Third Country Nationals -TCNs) need to become a sponsor for that worker and be recognized by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) in order to apply for work and residence permits for employees.

Generally, the documents required to live and work in the Netherlands are:

• Entry Visa / temporary residence permit
• Work Permit
• Residence Permit

Main categories of Work Permit:

• GVAA – combined work permit and residence permit (Gecombineerde vergunning voor verblijf en arbeid)
• TWV – employment permit without residence (Tewerkstellingsvergunning)
• Permit for graduates – Orientation Year (zoekjaar)
• Entrepreneur permit / Start up permit 

For most foreign workers, they will require either a GVVA or TWV permit for employment with Dutch companies. They have the same requirements regarding assessment depending on the length of time they will be working in the Netherlands:

TWV – employment permit:

• To work for less than 90 days and this can be applied for through the Employment Insurance Agency (UWV) but there are strict compliance regulations
• The job position has been offered and advertised to Dutch, EU/EEA, and Swiss nationals
• Only employers can apply for this permit.

Note: Highly skilled migrants may not require the employer to apply for the permit, but they will require a residence permit and the appropriate visa (temporary residence permit)

GVVA – combined work permit and residence permit:

• To work for longer than 90 days apply to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND) who takes advice from the UWV
• Employers or employees can apply for this permit
• The job position has been offered and advertised to Dutch and EU/EEA and Swiss nationals for between five and 12 weeks and every effort has been made to fill the position (labor market test)
• An appropriate entry visa will still be required, if not exempt

Highly skilled migrants may not require the employer to apply for the permit, but they will require the residence permit and the appropriate visa depending on country of residence.

Main Residence Permits:

• GVVA Combined Residence and Work Permit – generally applied for by the employer, who needs to be registered as a sponsor with the IND.
• Highly Skilled Migrant Program (Kennismigrant) – the employer/recognized sponsor applies for Entry and Residence Procedure (TEV) with the IND – regarding policy and security which takes about two weeks. The migrant needs a Temporary Residence Permit (MVV) and Residence Permit upon arrival in Netherlands.
• EU Blue Card is for highly skilled workers with at least a bachelor’s degree and a Dutch employment contract for one year with a minimum salary. But the employer does not need to be a recognized sponsor.