How
do I apply for a Netherlands Work Permit?
Unless
the candidate is exempted from the MVV requirement (ie. is a national
of: any EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Japan,
New Zealand, Australia, Canada or the United States), the first stage
of the process requires the candidate to make an application for a temporary
residence permit/visa (MVV) through his/her local Royal Netherlands
embassy. workpermit.com can then lodge a work permit application on
your behalf at the Regional Employment Board (RBA), who approves it
initially and passes it to the National Employment Board (AFB)/Arbeitsbureau,
who makes the final decision after having considered the national and
EC labour markets. There is a separate employment office that considers
highly-skilled IT professional work permit applications. When the work
permit is approved, the residence permit is issued by the Embassy and
the candidate may then travel to the Netherlands and begin working.
Where no MVV is required, the candidate
can enter the Netherlands by producing the work permit together with
their passport. Note that non-visa nationals may travel to the Netherlands
to attend business meetings whilst their work permit is being processed,
but they may not begin working, of course, until the work permit is
approved.