The International Trade Scheme: Bringing Specialist Talent to the Netherlands Without a Work Permit
Introduction
Some projects require a specific person with expertise a client’s existing team, or the wider Dutch and EU labour market, doesn’t have. The International Trade Scheme (Regeling Internationaal Handelsverkeer) exists for this situation as it allows an international business to bring a non-EU specialist into the Netherlands temporarily, without going through the standard work permit process, provided the work is genuinely tied to international trade, services, or cooperation between companies.
What Is the International Trade Scheme?
The scheme lets a company avoid the standard work permit (TWV) requirement for foreign workers, on the condition that a “project” is first registered with and approved by UWV (the Dutch Employee Insurance Agency). A qualifying project typically involves things like a joint venture, the delivery or installation of specialised equipment or software, or a collaboration between a Dutch company and a foreign one where specific expertise needs to be brought in temporarily.
Once a project is approved, individual workers are registered against it and they don’t each need a separate work permit application, which is what makes this route considerably faster than standard alternatives once the underlying project is approved.
Who Qualifies
Two conditions sit at the core of eligibility, and both need to be demonstrated clearly:
[CARDS:]An existing relationship between the companies: The Dutch company and the foreign employer need a documented connection (such as a contract or cooperation agreement) showing why the foreign company’s staff are the ones doing this work.
Genuine specialist necessity: The work has to require expertise that can’t reasonably be sourced from the Dutch or EU labour market. UWV assesses whether the specific knowledge or skill involved genuinely justifies bringing someone in from outside the EU, rather than the role simply being hard to fill locally.
How To Apply for the International Trade Scheme
- Registering the project: The Dutch company applies to UWV, describing the project and demonstrating both the company relationship and the specialist necessity. UWV aims to decide within five weeks.
- Registering individual workers: Once the project is approved, the employer notifies UWV of each worker involved, usually a couple of working days before they begin. Workers can then start work without a separate work permit.
- Ongoing obligations: The employer needs to ensure workers are paid in line with the Dutch Minimum Wage and Minimum Holiday Allowance Act for the duration of the project, and must deregister workers with UWV once the project ends.
- Residence is separate: A worker staying under 90 days may only need to meet short-stay visa conditions; beyond 90 days, a residence permit application is required alongside the trade scheme approval.
- Duration: Project admission can be granted for up to three years. This timeframe can differ depending on the nature of the project itself.
How To Get a Project Approved for ITS
Getting a project approved under this scheme depends on making a genuinely persuasive case on two fronts at once — the company relationship and the specialist necessity. Common points where applications run into difficulty:
- Demonstrating the foreign company relationship with sufficiently clear documentation
- Making the case that the specific expertise genuinely isn’t available in the Dutch or EU labour market, rather than simply asserting it
- Correctly scoping the “project” itself, since UWV evaluates the nature, duration, and value of the work involved
- Coordinating the separate residence permit process for stays beyond 90 days, so it doesn’t become a bottleneck once work authorisation is approved
How CEG Supports This
We help businesses through the full application process:
- Assessing whether a project genuinely qualifies before submission
- Preparing the documentation demonstrating the company relationship and specialist necessity
- Managing the UWV project registration and subsequent worker notifications
- Coordinating the residence permit process where a stay will exceed 90 days
Frequently Asked Questions
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How long does approval take?
UWV aims to make a decision on the project registration within five weeks of receiving the application. This covers the work authorisation step only and if a residence permit is also needed (for stays beyond 90 days), that’s a separate application to the IND on top of this timeline.
Does this scheme grant the worker a right to live in the Netherlands?
No. The International Trade Scheme covers work authorisation only. For stays under 90 days, the worker needs to meet short-stay visa conditions if applicable to their nationality. For stays beyond 90 days, the employer must separately apply to the IND for a residence permit. It’s based on the same approved project, rather than a wholly independent process, but still a distinct application from the trade scheme approval itself.
What counts as a qualifying “project”?
UWV looks for a time-bound piece of work that’s genuinely part of international trade, services, or cooperation between a Dutch company and a foreign one. Examples include a joint venture, delivery or installation of specialised equipment or software, or a collaboration requiring specific foreign expertise. UWV assesses factors including the nature of the project, the nature of the work involved, its duration, and the value of the goods or services concerned. A general staffing need, without that trade/cooperation dimension, wouldn’t qualify.
How long can workers stay under this scheme?
Project admission under the scheme can be granted for up to three years. Separately, if a residence permit is required (for stays beyond 90 days), that permit can be granted and extended for up to one year at a time, tied to the underlying approved project.
