The Dutch labour market has opened to Central and Eastern Europeans, and looks likely to drop its special entry visa (MVV) requirement for nationals of South Korea, but at the same time the Central Employment Office is sharpening up.

`Is it true that the Dutch labour market is now open to people from the new EU member states? Our company is specialised in building and construction services. Our HR department is thinking of hiring engineers and specialists from Romania, Poland and Estonia for three-year projects in the Netherlands. We have done this kind of thing in the past but arranging for the proper documents was sometimes time-consuming. It now seems we no longer need to obtain Dutch work permits. What about Dutch residence permits? What is the situation there?’

Immigration specialist Patrick R. Rovers answers:

 From 1 May, 2007 the Dutch labour market is open to citizens of Poland, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Hungary, Slovenia, and Slovakia. Dutch employers of these citizens are no longer required to get Dutch work permits from the Central Employment Office of the Netherlands. As far as residence permits are concerned. Citizens of these countries should not apply for Dutch residence cards if and when they want to work in the Netherlands for more than three months. A straightforward registration at the Dutch immigration service will suffice.

The Minister for Social Affairs, Mr Donner, claimed that the opening of the Dutch labour market was only fair to the new EU member states from Eastern Europe. A continuation of the Dutch work permit regulations might jeopardise good relations with these counties. I honestly do not understand Mr Donner’s rationale. When these member states joined the EU in 2004, they simply accepted the fact that the old EU member states were entitled to enforce work permit regulations till 2011.

At the beginning of this year Romania and Bulgaria joined the EU. Citizens from these countries are not work permit exempt, at least not for a couple of years. Your company is therefore required to arrange for Dutch work permits. Romanians and Bulgarians need to apply for Dutch residence cards if they want to work in the Netherlands, as described by you.

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