Netherlands Seasonal Work Residence Permit
Netherlands
Residency
At a glance
The Netherlands' seasonal-work route covers qualifying agriculture or horticulture jobs supported by a Dutch employer. It is limited to a maximum of 24 weeks and is not a general employment route.
- Work
- Usually agriculture or horticulture
- Duration
- Up to 24 weeks
- Employer
- A Dutch employer must support the application
- Permit
- Usually handled as a single permit
- What it gives
- A combined residence and work permit for the named seasonal job, valid for up to 24 weeks.
- Main limit
- It is not a general farm-work visa longer than 24 weeks, a year-round job permit, or an open work permit.
Summary
The Netherlands seasonal-work residence permit is a narrow combined residence and work permit for temporary agriculture or horticulture work lasting no more than 24 weeks. It is a form of GVVA for workers from outside the EU, EEA, and Switzerland.
A Dutch employer must offer the job and sponsor the application. IND always asks UWV for labor-market advice.
Eligibility
The applicant must have a seasonal job in agriculture or horticulture for no more than 24 weeks. The work must be for a Dutch company or organization, or the Dutch branch of a foreign company.
Other requirements include:
- the employer is registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce where required;
- the employer first searched for a worker in the Netherlands and EU/EEA and registered the vacancy with a UWV employer service point;
- the employee receives the normal collective-agreement salary and meets the current income requirement;
- proper housing is arranged;
- the applicant was not in the Netherlands illegally during the 3 years before applying; and
- the general passport, public-order, and, where relevant, tuberculosis rules are met.
From 1 July through 31 December 2026, IND lists €2,337 gross SV salary per month without holiday allowance as the general paid-employment and seasonal-work income amount. The live table should be checked before filing.
What This Route Allows
The GVVA allows residence and the specific seasonal work named in the additional document for up to 24 weeks. Employer recognition by IND is optional, not mandatory.
The worker receives a residence card and supplementary work document. Those documents identify the authorized employer and work conditions. The employer receives a copy of the supplementary document.
What This Route Is Not
It is not a general farm-work visa longer than 24 weeks, a year-round job permit, or an open work permit. The worker cannot use it for another employer or different work unless new authorization is obtained.
Seasonal work is a temporary residence purpose. It does not count like a non-temporary work route for all permanent-residence purposes and does not itself guarantee a later Dutch permit. A discussion with an employer is not enough; an actual qualifying offer is needed.
Next Steps
- Confirm that the job is truly temporary agriculture or horticulture and no longer than 24 weeks.
- Have the employer complete the Netherlands/EU labor search and UWV vacancy registration.
- Check the current salary, collective agreement, housing, and company registration.
- Prepare evidence that the applicant has not been illegally resident in the Netherlands during the previous 3 years.
- Apply for the GVVA and wait for the residence card and supplementary document before starting work.
Switzerland
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Belgium
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Luxembourg
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