May you work in the Netherlands as an international student? It depends on your nationality. Students with Dutch nationality or the nationality of another EEA country or Switzerland may work without a work permit [1]. According to UWV, students from outside the EEA with a residence permit for study may work for an employer who has an employment permit (TWV) for them: at most 16 hours a week, or full-time in June, July and August [2].
What applies if you come from the EEA or Switzerland?
Then you don't need a work permit [1]. That also applies to students with Dutch nationality.
What applies if you come from outside the EEA?
UWV lists the following conditions for a working student [2]:
- You hold a valid residence permit for following a study programme.
- You work at most 16 hours a week, or full-time in June, July and August.
- The wage is market-rate, meaning normal for the work you'll do.
- The TWV for a working student is valid for at most one year. UWV describes it as a side job next to a study in the Netherlands.
UWV phrases the hours with ‘or’: 16 hours a week, or full-time in June, July and August [2]. Already working during the academic year? Ask UWV or the IND how the hours count in your situation.
Who applies for the permit?
The employer. UWV writes that the employer applies for a TWV if the employee is already in the Netherlands and has a residence permit [3]. You can't arrange a permit yourself; you have to ask your employer. If an employer lets you work without a work permit, that's illegal labour according to UWV [3]. So wait to start until the permit is in place.
What can you do after your studies?
After a degree in the Netherlands you can, under conditions, apply for a residence permit for the orientation year for highly educated persons. According to the IND it's valid for one year and can't be extended; your employer doesn't need a TWV for you. One way to qualify is a Dutch study programme that you completed in the three years before the application; other conditions also apply. Read them on the IND page [4].
What can you do yourself?
- Check what your residence document says about work
- Ask an employer before the first working day whether a TWV has been applied for and approved
- Stay within the hours stated by UWV; working without a valid work permit is illegal labour for an employer [3]
- If in doubt, ask the IND, UWV or your programme's international office for advice
Sources
- Rijksoverheid: Vergunningen buitenlandse werknemers, accessed 11 October 2026.
- UWV: Werkvergunning werkstudent, accessed 11 October 2026.
- UWV: Voorwaarden tewerkstellingsvergunning, accessed 11 October 2026.
- IND: Residence permit for orientation year for highly educated persons, accessed 11 October 2026.
