Work permit

In general, most foreigners will need a work permit if they want to do a traineeship or work in the Netherlands. Only residents with an EU, EEA or a Swiss nationality, except for Bulgarians and Romanians, don't need a work permit.

Working while studying

If you are a foreign student and have a valid residence permit with the aim to study, you can work alongside your studies (either full-time seasonal work in June, July and August, or part-time work of no more than ten hours a week). In this case, your Dutch employer does need a work permit for you.

Your employer must apply for the work permit at the Central Organisation for Work and Income (CWI) in Zoetermeer.

Working while doing an internship

If you are enrolled as a student in the Netherlands or in another country, you may work as a trainee. A traineeship is any work placement or practical training arrangement aiming to give you experience of the world of work while studying. If you have already graduated, you will not be able to work as a trainee in the Netherlands. However, there is a similar arrangement that allows you to gain practical work experience in the Netherlands for up to six months. This is called residency with the purpose of work experience.

To find out in which case your employer needs to apply for a work permit for you, download the fact sheet "immigration procedures for foreign students doing a traineeship".

Working Terms & Conditions

Whether a foreign national has to pay income tax on a scholarship or salary may depend on the bilateral agreements between your home country and the Netherlands. It is a good idea to discuss your individual situation with your local tax office. The following are general rules that might be helpful.

Paid internships

Student-trainees from other countries - that is, foreign students doing an internship in the Netherlands - are exempted from paying Dutch income tax if all of the following is true:

•    you will be staying in the Netherlands no longer than six months;
•    you will be doing an internship (work placement) for educational purposes only;
•    you will be receiving money that is intended only to cover your expenses.

Scholarships

Scholarships which you receive from an institution or organization, for instance from Nuffic, are exempt from income tax if they are paid out in one single amount, or in regular installments for no longer than one year.

Social-fiscal number (Sofi-nummer)

A "sofi-number" (short for social-fiscaal nummer) is a unique personal number which the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration (Belastingdienst) uses to identify registered taxpayers. Other people may ask you for your sofi-number, too. For example, your employer, benefit provider, bank or insurance company may need to know your sofi-number. The reason is that the law requires them to provide the Tax and Customs Administration with any information that might be relevant to your tax situation.

To get a sofi-number, you will need to go to a sofi-number issuing tax office.

They are located in the following cities:

Alkmaar
    Den Haag
    Groningen
     Nijmegen
Almelo    Doetinchem
    Heerlen
    Rotterdam
Amsterdam
    Eindhoven
    Leiden
    Utrecht
Breda
    Goes
    Leeuwarden
    Zwolle

The exact addresses of the offices can be found using the form (in Dutch) on the tax and customs administration's website.

To get a sofi-number, you will need to phone in advance to make an appointment. Phone the main call centre on 0800-0543.

What documents you need to show to get a sofi-number depends on your nationality.

If you are a national of one of the following countries, you only need to show your passport or national identity card: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus (Republic of Cyprus), Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. No other documents are needed.

If you are a national of another country, you will additionally need to present the following documents: an alien's identity card type I, II, III or IV.

If you don't yet have an alien's identity card type I, II, III or IV, you will need to show an endorsement in your passport stating that you have the right to residence in the Netherlands. The endorsement is entered in your passport in the form of a sticker. The sticker is affixed to your passport by the local authority of the place where you live. If you are a knowledge migrant, it will be affixed by the IND. The sticker must state that you are entitled to work (arbeid toegestaan). If the sticker says that you need a work permit (TWV vereist), you will also need to show your work permit.

Working after your studies

After graduation at a university or "hogeschool" in the Netherlands, foreign students do have the possibility to extend their stay for a period of one year to search for a job.

In order to make use of this so called "search period", you need to apply for a change in the purpose of stay endorsed on your residence permit. The new residence permit with the purpose "verblijf gedurende zoekjaar afgestudeerde" (seeking work after graduation) is meant to look for a job as a so called "highly skilled migrant", but you are also allowed to look for a job as a regular "labor migrant".

During the one year "search period", you are not allowed to ask for any state benefits. In order to pay your own way while searching for a job that allows you to stay in the Netherlands, you may work freely. No work permit is required.

After the one year "search period", you must have found a job as a highly skilled migrant or labor migrant. Otherwise you will have to leave the country. Once you have found such a job you again will need to apply for a change in the purpose of your stay.

Highly skilled migrant

As a highly skilled migrant you need to earn at least 25,000 Euros gross a year. Your employer does not need to apply for a work permit for you, which makes this an attractive option.

Labor migrant

As a labor migrant, there is no wage prerequisite like the highly skilled migrant scheme, but your employer is not allowed to pay you less than the required minimum wages as stated by Dutch law. Your employer will need to apply for a work permit if you are not an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen. Moreover, the employer will need to prove that there is no Dutch or other European citizen capable and available to take on this job.

Find a Job

Move the Workforce [NL]
This is a temporary employment agency for students who would like to work at events or do promotional activities. You can contact the agency by phone or e-mail.

Part-time jobs in the Netherlands and abroad [NL]
Find a job in the Netherlands or abroad. You must register online before you can apply for a position. 

Student Talent [NL]
Temporary employment agency for students in Leiden, Rotterdam or Amsterdam. Search for a job and register online if you are interested.

Student jobs [NL]
Register and search for a first or part-time job. Find vocational training offers and jobs for university students.

Study Happy [NL]
Find an entry-level position or a part-time job. Send an email directly to the company you wish to work for.

Temporary employment agency for students - ASA [NL]
Enter your preferences and see what possibilities fit you. Respond online.

Temporary employment agency for students - SUSA [NL]
Find an opportunity: select your own profile, choose a possibility and send an online form to show your interest. Some information is available in English.

Work in a school [NL]
See if there is job at a school available for you in your region and apply online.