Work
How-tos about work in the Netherlands.
How to check your work permit route and apply for a GVVA in NL
The single permit (GVVA) is one work route among several, and most people who think they need one do not. Work out which route applies first, then apply: the fee is €423 and the IND decides within 90 days.
How to apply for the 30% ruling in NL
Apply jointly with your employer for the expat scheme (30%-regeling), which covers extraterritorial costs untaxed. Covers the 150 km condition, the 2026 salary norms and the 4-month application window.
How to apply for the orientation year in NL
Apply for the IND orientation year for highly educated persons (zoekjaar hoogopgeleiden): a one-year permit to look for work. You must apply within 3 years of graduating, and it cannot be extended.
How to apply for unemployment benefit (WW) in NL
Claim a WW-uitkering from UWV after losing paid working hours: the one-week application window, the 26-of-36-weeks condition, and what is different for non-EU permit holders.
How to change employer as a highly skilled migrant in NL
Change to a new recognised-sponsor employer while keeping a valid highly skilled migrant residence permit and continuing to meet the permit conditions.
How to check your employment contract in NL
What to read before you sign a Dutch employment contract, and what your employer must put in writing in the first week and the first month. Covers probation, notice, the CAO and the non-compete clause (concurrentiebeding).
How to write a Dutch CV in NL
A Dutch CV is usually one to two A4 pages, reverse-chronological, and built around concrete results. Your experience may be strong but not yet legible here, and the goal is to make its value easier to read rather than to make it smaller.
How to file your tax return in NL
File the Dutch income tax return (aangifte inkomstenbelasting) with the Belastingdienst, and work out which return applies to you: the standard return, the M return for your migration year, or the C return for non-residents.
How to find a recognised sponsor in NL
Find an employer authorised by the IND to bring skilled workers to the Netherlands under the highly skilled migrant scheme.
How to find a job as an international in NL
A Dutch job search works better when it combines direct applications, referrals and recruiters, not job boards alone. Settle work authorisation first, then separate role clarity, visibility and network instead of treating every application as the problem.
How to get a VOG (Certificate of Conduct) in NL
How to obtain a Certificate of Conduct (Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag, VOG) from Justis: the digital route an employer starts, the free route for volunteers, the paper and non-resident routes, and what to do if refusal is proposed.
How to get your diploma evaluated in NL
How to obtain a credential evaluation (diplomawaardering) of a foreign diploma through IDW, what it costs and how long it takes, and why it is advice rather than legal recognition.
How to keep your permit after losing your job as a kennismigrant in NL
What happens to a highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant) residence permit when the job ends: the sponsor's reporting duty, the 3 or 6 month search period and its 2026 change, and how to keep lawful status before it runs out.
How to navigate a PhD career in NL
Not every PhD candidate (promovendus) in the Netherlands is an employee, and what you are entitled to follows from which type you are. Covers the categories, the university CAO terms, supervision, and the immigration route.
How to prepare for a job interview in NL
Prepare for a Dutch job interview by turning the role into proof points, practising your motivation and examples, explaining your international context clearly, and knowing what you want to ask.
How to start a business in NL
Register a new business in the Netherlands, from choosing a legal structure to signing up with the Chamber of Commerce and the tax authority.
How to start as a freelancer in NL
Set yourself up as a self-employed freelancer (zzp'er) in the Netherlands, including registration, tax and insurance.
How to understand your employee rights in NL
The baseline protections a Dutch employee has on pay, holiday, sickness and dismissal, and the map of where to go when something is wrong: Work in NL, a union, Het Juridisch Loket, the Labour Inspectorate, UWV or the courts.
How to use recruitment agencies in NL
Use recruiters as one route into the Dutch job market: choose agencies that fit your role, understand who would employ you, prepare your profile, and check sponsorship and contract details before you rely on an introduction.
How to get startup credits in NL
Find cloud, AI and software credits your startup can use from the Netherlands, check which access route fits, and avoid expiry, billing and eligibility traps.
How to work part-time as an international student in NL
Check whether you can work, whether your employer needs a TWV, how many hours you may work, and what to arrange before starting a part-time job.
How to get a highly skilled migrant permit in NL
A recognised sponsor applies for your highly skilled migrant permit. Check the route, sponsor and salary first, then follow the application from documents and MVV to the IND decision and residence card.
How to learn Dutch and find a course in NL
Work out which Dutch-learning route applies, find courses and local practice, compare providers, and use the right official route if you need inburgering or B1/B2 proof.
How to manage VAT and recurring business admin in NL
Keep Dutch business VAT and admin under control: maintain records, issue invoices, file and pay returns, handle ICP, correct errors and close the year cleanly.