Student work rights in Netherlands
Rules for working while studying in Netherlands, including work limits, internships, tax steps and post-study routes where covered by the guide.
Read the complete Netherlands study abroad guide.
Part-time Jobs
EU/EEA/Swiss students are free to work without a Dutch work permit. For a non-EU student residence permit, employee work requires the employer to obtain a TWV. The student must choose either a maximum of 16 hours per week or full-time employment during June, July and August.
Self-employment is treated differently. As long as you continue to meet the student-residence conditions, you may work as a self-employed person without a TWV and without the 16-hour employee limit; you must register with the Chamber of Commerce where required, pay tax and check whether the activity changes your health-insurance position.
A traineeship that is part of the study programme does not require a TWV under the student-permit rules. Keep the institutional paperwork showing that it is a study traineeship.
Source: https://ind.nl/en/residence-permits/study/student-residence-permit-for-university-or-higher-professional-education
Post-study Work
The orientation year (zoekjaar) is valid for one year and cannot be extended. Eligible graduates/researchers can use it to look for work, work freely without a TWV, or start a business. For Dutch graduates, the application can generally be made within three years of completing the qualifying programme. The application fee is EUR 254.
Unlike the student-permit stage, the IND does not require proof of a specific income amount for an orientation-year application. You still have to support yourself and cannot rely on public funds, but remove any old claim that a maintenance threshold must be demonstrated with the application.
Study is a temporary residence purpose, but it is also misleading to say study years never count. For the EU long-term-resident route, the IND states that half of previous years on a study residence permit can count once the other eligibility conditions are met. Other Dutch permanent-residence routes have their own rules, so check the route you intend to use.
Source: https://ind.nl/en/residence-permits/work/residence-permit-for-orientation-year
Common questions
What should international students know about work in Netherlands?
Employee work: 16 hours/week or full-time June-August with employer TWV; self-employment follows a separate rule.
What should international students know about post study in Netherlands?
One-year orientation permit with free work; no income proof at application; Dutch study time can count half toward long-term EU residence.