Unless you are an EU (excluding Bulgaria & Romania), EER or Swiss national, a work permit is required if you intend to work in the Netherlands. According to the Foreign Nationals Employment Act (Wet Arbeid Vreemdelingen) only your (future) employer can apply for a work permit. In principle the Act requires employers to first recruit in the Netherlands and other European Union countries. This is intended to protect and regulate the Dutch and West European labour markets.

Employers wishing to take on a foreign (non-EU) employee can now submit a combined application for a provisional residence permit (MVV) and a work permit with the IND and UWV WERKbedrijf via: Digitaal Loket Arbeidsmigratie UWV-IND

Upon completion the application(s), together with the requested enclosures, must be printed, signed and sent to the IND and/or UWV Werkbedrijf in order to be processed.