Working in the Netherlands as an EU worker: what to know

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The Netherlands needs you, literally

The Dutch labour market remains tight: in healthcare, engineering, IT and logistics, employers have for years been searching for people who simply aren't available in sufficient numbers. For EU citizens, the threshold for coming to work here is also low — no work permit needed, just your passport or ID card and you can get started. Sounds attractive. And it is, provided you sort out a few things properly and avoid a few well-known pitfalls.

Your strengths as an EU worker

As a citizen of an EU country, an EEA country or Switzerland, you have freedom of movement for work: you do not need a work permit to start working in the Netherlands. That's a huge advantage compared to workers from outside the EU, who first have to arrange a work permit for their employer — a process that can take weeks.

On top of that, the timing is favourable. According to the UWV (the Dutch employee insurance agency), the Netherlands has the tightest labour market in Europe, and shortages in healthcare, engineering, IT and education remain stubborn. For more than seven out of ten occupations with a staff shortage in the Netherlands, there's actually a surplus of suitable workers in another European country. That mismatch is precisely why employers are increasingly looking across the border — and why wages in shortage sectors are rising faster than average.

What to arrange before you start

1. A valid ID card or passport. For EU citizens, this is the only official document you need to be allowed to work.
2. A BSN (citizen service number). Without a BSN you cannot legally receive a salary, take out health insurance, or file a tax return. If you're staying less than four months, you apply for this at an RNI desk. If you're staying longer, you register with the municipality where you'll be living — you'll automatically receive a BSN there.
3. Health insurance. Legally required as soon as you work in the Netherlands, even if you don't live here permanently yet.
4. A Dutch bank account. Most employers pay wages into one as standard.
5. An employment contract you actually understand. Don't sign anything in a language whose details you can't fully follow. Ask for a version in your own language, or have it translated before you sign.

The pitfalls to watch out for

Not every employment agency or housing provider puts your interests first. A few things that regularly go wrong:

• Housing that just barely meets the minimum requirements, and nothing more. There is a quality mark for labour migrant housing (SNF), but research shows that some rogue landlords do just enough to keep that certification without actually providing decent living conditions. A quality mark is an indication, not a guarantee.
• Excessive deductions from your wages for housing. There's a legal maximum on what an employer may deduct from the minimum wage for housing — always check this yourself, don't blindly trust what you're told.
• Unclear picture of who actually employs you. Working through an employment agency? Check whether it's affiliated with a trade association (ABU or NBBU) and whether it holds the SNA quality mark — the latter being the standard test of whether an agency demonstrably has its wage and tax payments in order. From 1 January 2027, this will become a hard requirement: agencies will only be allowed to place staff with official authorisation from the ministry. The public register for this opens on 1 November 2026, with enforcement starting in 2028. Until then, the quality mark is your best safeguard.
• Promises that aren't in the contract. Verbal assurances about hours, pay or bonuses don't count if they're not written down anywhere. Make sure everything you've been promised appears in your written contract.

How to handle it smartly

• If in doubt, check the public register of an employment agency or housing provider before moving in anywhere.
• Keep all your documents (contract, payslips, correspondence) — even if you think you'll never need them again.
• As an EU worker you have the same rights as a Dutch employee, including collective labour agreement protection where applicable. Don't let ignorance take that away from you.
• Seriously unsure about your situation? The Dutch Labour Inspectorate and trade unions are there for labour migrants too, not just people with a Dutch passport.

Apply with a CV that fits the Dutch market

Not going through an employment agency, but applying directly — for instance for a role in healthcare, engineering or IT? Then a CV that matches the Dutch standard is just as important as your paperwork. With CV-Refresher, you upload your existing CV and receive a professional, ATS-friendly version back — available in eight languages, including Polish, so your experience comes across just as convincingly as your motivation to work here.

Get your CV ready for the Dutch job market →

In short

• As an EU citizen you don't need a work permit, just a valid ID and a BSN.
• The Dutch labour market is tight, especially in healthcare, engineering and IT — which means both opportunities and rising wages.
• Check housing and employment agencies critically: a quality mark is an indication, not a guarantee.
• Never sign a contract you don't fully understand, and make sure verbal agreements are also put in writing.