Exemptions

General exemptions

Some categories have free access to the Dutch labour market and do not require a work permit. This applies to you if:

• You are an EU/EEA or Swiss national.
• You are a foreign national who has had a Dutch residence permit for the purpose of “work” for three continuous years. Moreover, the Netherlands is still your main place of residence.
• You are a Bulgarian or Romanian national who has had a Dutch residence permit for the purpose of “work” for twelve consecutive months. This follows the transitional rules after EU accession.

Specific exemptions for scientific personnel

The Dutch government wants to stimulate its ‘knowledge economy’. In an effort to make it easier for Dutch universities en research institutes to attract talented foreign researchers and lecturers, some bureaucratic barriers were abolished. One of them being the work permit requirement.

If you are a scientific researcher or guest lecturer, in most cases your employer will not need to apply for a work permit for you. This will save a lot of paperwork and time during the immigration process, both for your employer and for you. Check our overview of purposes of stay (purposes of stay.pdf) to see if you might fit one of the mentioned categories for which a work permit is not needed, and find a lot of extra information along the way. Please bear in mind that although this overview gives you a general idea of the possible exemptions, it is not the complete picture. Your HR officer should be able to give you an advice that is tailored to your specific situation.