Key facts
- EU, EEA and Swiss nationals do not need a work permit to work in the Netherlands.
- Most other nationals need a work permit (TWV) or a combined residence and work permit (GVVA), applied for by the employer, unless their residence document says work is freely permitted.
- Highly skilled migrants do not need a TWV, but the employer must be an IND recognised sponsor. 2026 salary minimum: 5,942 euros gross a month from age 30, 4,357 euros under 30, 3,122 euros after the orientation year or a Dutch degree.
- The orientation year (zoekjaar) lets recent graduates work freely for 1 year. You apply within 3 years of graduating. The IND fee in 2026 is 254 euros.
- Most CV advice for the Netherlands says 1 to 2 pages, most recent experience first. A photo is optional.
What to do
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Look at your nationality and the back of your residence card. EU, EEA and Swiss nationals can work freely. If it says work is freely permitted ('arbeid is vrij toegestaan'), no work permit is needed. Otherwise your employer needs a permit or must sponsor you.
Keep it to one or two pages. Put your contact details at the top, then a short profile, work experience starting with the most recent, education, skills and languages. Adapt it to each vacancy.
Explain why you want to work for this company, what skills and experience you bring, which languages you speak and how you would be useful to the employer.
Use LinkedIn, Indeed, werk.nl and the Brainport Eindhoven job portal, check company career pages and register with a few recruitment agencies.
Tell people you are looking, go to events and send open applications. In the Netherlands it is normal to apply to a company that has no vacancy open.
Search the IND public register to see whether the employer is a recognised sponsor. Without that, it cannot hire you as a highly skilled migrant.
Do you need a work permit?
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals need no work permit, only a valid passport or ID card.
Others generally need a work permit (TWV) or a single permit (GVVA), which combines residence and work for one employer. The employer applies: for a TWV at UWV, for a GVVA at the IND. You do not need a TWV if your residence document says work is freely permitted, if you work as a highly skilled migrant, or if you are an asylum status holder.
Non-EU students may only work with a TWV, which the employer applies for. Our guide on studying at TU/e or Fontys explains the hour limits.
Highly skilled migrant route
A highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant) needs an employment contract with an employer that the IND has recognised as a sponsor. Only that employer can apply for your permit. You can check any company in the IND public register of recognised sponsors.
Your salary must be in line with the market and meet the IND minimum. In 2026 that is 5,942 euros gross a month if you are 30 or older, 4,357 euros if you are under 30, and 3,122 euros if you graduated recently or had an orientation year. Holiday allowance does not count. The amounts change every 1 January. The IND fee for a first application in 2026 is 423 euros.
The orientation year for graduates
If you finished an accredited bachelor's or master's in the Netherlands, or a master's or PhD at a foreign university in the top 200 of two recognised rankings, you can apply for the orientation year within 3 years of graduating. Researchers who held a Dutch research permit can also apply.
The permit is valid for 1 year and cannot be extended. During that year you may work freely and your employer needs no TWV. If you find a job, you can switch to another permit, for example as a highly skilled migrant at the lower salary minimum. Foreign degrees usually need a Nuffic evaluation first.
A Dutch-style CV and cover letter
There is no official Dutch CV format. The advice below is from career guides, not from the government, and advisers disagree on details. IamExpat says a CV should not exceed two pages and lists a passport photo and date of birth under personal details. A career coach writing for the Leiden International Centre says to leave out the photo, date of birth and marital status. Both agree on a short, focused CV with experience in reverse order.
Holland Expat Center South advises using the cover letter (motivatiebrief) to explain why you want this job at this company, what you bring and how you would be useful. It also says open applications are perfectly acceptable. Many jobs ask for good Dutch, though some need only English; learning Dutch shows you plan to stay.
Where to look in and around Eindhoven
- Brainport Eindhoven job portal: tech and IT jobs for English speakers in the region.
- werk.nl: the UWV job site with vacancies and tips. UWV advises registering once you have a BSN and DigiD.
- LinkedIn and Indeed: many Dutch employers post vacancies here.
- Company career pages, for example ASML (headquartered in Veldhoven), Philips and NXP.
- Recruitment agencies (uitzendbureaus): Holland Expat Center South counts more than 100 in Eindhoven and lists some recruitment partners on its site.
- EURES: the European job network, with UWV as the Dutch office, for EU, EEA and Swiss jobseekers.
- Expat Spouses Initiative: career and networking support for international partners.
Volunteering and unpaid work
Volunteering can help you build a network, but the rules are strict for people from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland. They need no work permit only if the work is truly unpaid (an allowance up to the tax-free maximum is allowed) and the organisation has applied to UWV for a volunteer declaration. The volunteer may start once the organisation has the postal confirmation of that application.
Mistakes to avoid
- Starting a job, internship or volunteer role before checking whether a permit is needed.
- Applying for highly skilled migrant jobs at employers that are not recognised sponsors.
- Sending a long, untailored CV to every vacancy.
- Waiting too long after graduating to apply for the orientation year; the window is 3 years.
- Only applying to advertised vacancies and never sending open applications or networking.
Useful links
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More official sources
Other useful links
Providers and community groups we found useful. We don't get paid for these links.
Sources we checked
Coming up
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Wed 21 Oct · 13:00-17:30
Anchored, Drifting: kite-making workshop for migrants
CKE Eindhoven
A free creative afternoon where people who moved to the Netherlands make and fly kites while sharing stories about migration and belonging.
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Mon 26 Oct · 10:00-12:00
Dutch Labor Market 101
Online
An online EURES session on how to find a job in the Netherlands, with tips on applications and time for questions.
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Wed 28 Oct · 10:00-11:00
Ask the Expert: Beyond the CV
Online
A free one-hour online talk on what hiring leaders look for beyond your CV, with live questions at the end.
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Thu 29 Oct · 10:00-12:00
Say Hello Online: Your Next Career Move
Online
A free online meetup to meet other internationals, share experiences and hear about career programmes.
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We checked this guide against its sources on 12 October 2026. Rules change: the official source always wins. Spotted something out of date? DM @gone.with.us or email contact@gonewithus.nl.