Part-Time Work Rules for International Students in the Netherlands

EU, EEA and Swiss students: no permit, no hour cap

EU, EEA or Swiss citizens work in the Netherlands under the same rules as Dutch nationals. No work permit, no weekly hour cap tied to student status, agree hours directly with your employer like any other worker.

Non-EU students: the 16-hour rule

Non-EU students need a work permit before starting a job. Your employer, not you, applies for a tewerkstellingsvergunning (TWV) at the UWV (Employee Insurance Agency), and pays any associated fee, according to IND . Without an approved TWV, you and your employer both break the law by having you work.

During the academic year, you're capped at 16 hours a week, according to the Netherlands Labour Authority . This limit applies week by week, not as an average, so working 30 hours one week and none the next still breaks the rule even if your monthly total looks fine.

June, July and August allow full-time work without the 16-hour restriction, as long as your TWV covers this period. Confirm the exact dates with your employer and check your TWV before assuming the summer exception applies to you.

A quick example

A non-EU student works 12 hours a week at a supermarket during term, well under the 16-hour cap, then switches to a full-time 32-hour week in July while their TWV covers the summer period. Come September, they drop back to 12 hours a week without needing a new permit application, the same employer and TWV still apply, only the weekly hours change.

Working for more than one employer

If you work for two employers at once, each needs its own TWV, and your combined hours across both jobs still cannot exceed 16 hours a week during term. Track your schedule carefully if you take on a second job, exceeding the cap by combining two otherwise legal jobs still counts as a violation.

How the TWV application works

1. Your employer submits the TWV application to UWV, usually alongside your job offer.

2. UWV checks your student residence permit and enrollment status.

3. Approval typically arrives before your start date if the employer applies early. Don't start work before the TWV is confirmed.

4. The permit is tied to that specific employer, switching jobs means a new TWV application.

Who checks compliance

The IND, UWV and the Dutch Labour Inspectorate all play a role in enforcement. Inspectors check whether you hold a valid TWV and whether your actual hours match what's permitted, at your workplace directly. Employers caught breaking the rules face fines, and repeated violations affect your own residence permit renewal. Keep track of your hours yourself rather than relying only on your employer.

What happens if you break the rules

Working without a TWV, or beyond your permitted hours, puts your employer at risk of fines from the Labour Inspectorate and puts your own residence permit at risk at renewal time. If you're unsure whether a job offer is legal, ask your university's international office or the UWV directly before you start, rather than after a problem appears.

Where students typically find work

• Hospitality and retail, cafes, restaurants and shops in university cities hire student staff regularly.

• Food delivery and courier apps, popular for flexible scheduling around lectures.

• On-campus roles, library assistants, open day guides and international office student ambassadors.

• University job boards and platforms like Studentjob.nl list positions aimed specifically at students.

Combine this with your insurance obligations

The moment you start paid work, Dutch law also requires you to register for public health insurance (Zvw), separate from the TWV process. Check your obligations as soon as you accept a job, not after your first paycheck.

Before you start any job

• Confirm your employer has already submitted or received TWV approval, not just promised to apply.

• Get your start date and weekly hours in writing.

• Note the exact months your summer full-time exception covers, TWVs sometimes specify exact dates rather than "summer" in general.