The Dutch labour market increasingly sits at the intersection of two realities: a growing need to supplement staffing with non-EU workers and a tightening immigration enforcement regime. “Fast hiring” is no longer the winning strategy—compliance-proof hiring is. That means full transparency on residence status, airtight alignment with IND rules, and cooperation with authorities. After multiple regulatory updates, it’s not the hourly rate but legalisation and workforce continuity that differentiate employers in the Netherlands.
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Migration management in the European Union focuses on two priorities: border control and the effective enforcement of residence rules. At its core is the Return Directive (2008/115/EC), which sets common standards for orders to leave and returns to countries of origin. In practice, Member States must track each foreign national whose stay is considered irregular and ensure their return, ideally through assisted voluntary return.
In 2025, the European Commission reinforced the push for harmonisation. New rules (including Regulation (EU) 2020/851) require quarterly reporting on returns, administrative decisions, and procedural effectiveness. The goal is not only efficiency but also transparency in a system where too many return decisions remain unexecuted.
This backdrop matters directly to labour markets—especially in the Netherlands, where employment of third-country nationals is a key part of the economy. Statistics on returns and orders to leave are therefore both an immigration metric and an indicator of the future of temporary work.
According to Eurostat, in Q2 2025 116,495 third-country nationals received an order to leave the EU (-6.3% vs. Q1, +3.6% YoY). Over the same period, 28,355 people actually returned to third countries (-0.8% QoQ, +12.7% YoY). France (34,760), Spain (14,545) and Germany (14,095) accounted for more than 54% of all orders. By citizenship, the top groups were Algeria, Morocco, Türkiye, Syria and Mali.
Notably, 53.7% of returns were voluntary and 46.3% enforced, aligning with the EU’s policy preference for human, assisted voluntary returns over forced removals.
For Dutch employers hiring non-EU workers, this signals stricter checks on residence status across Europe. Administrative errors—an expired permit, missing notification or exceeding authorised work periods—can now trigger not only fines but also a return decision for the employee, disrupting operations.
The Netherlands has long combined a dynamic economy with a structured approach to labour migration. In 2025, CBS data indicate non-EU workers exceed 10% of the active workforce, concentrated in logistics, agri-food, horticulture, manufacturing and care. At the same time, the country runs one of Europe’s most formalised yet predictable immigration systems. The rules on residence and returns are explicit. As the official Government of the Netherlands website states:
This principle anchors Dutch immigration policy: legal residence and lawful work go hand in hand. In practice, anyone refused an extension, or whose permit is revoked, receives a terugkeerbesluit (return decision) from IND or border services. The general rule grants 28 days for voluntary departure; failure to leave may lead to an entry ban (inreisverbod) across Schengen. The Netherlands also promotes assisted voluntary return in cooperation with IOM, providing help with documents, tickets, and reintegration support.
For employers, even minor compliance lapses—employing someone after permit expiry, missing an IND update—can have immediate operational consequences. This is why compliance-proof recruitment, continuous status monitoring, and partnership with experienced Dutch staffing agencies are now business-critical.
Dutch migration governance is built around predictable case management. Under Vreemdelingenwet 2000, the Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst (IND) issues the return decision when a permit is refused, not renewed, or withdrawn. As a rule, the person has 28 days to depart voluntarily with possible support from IOM’s Assisted Voluntary Return Programme (advice, logistics, travel costs). After that, cases may be handed to DT&V and the Vreemdelingenpolitie for enforced return.
Recent practice shows over 70% of Dutch returns are voluntary, which the government considers more effective and less costly than enforcement. In parallel, coordination between IND and the Netherlands Labour Authority (Nederlandse Arbeidsinspectie) is being strengthened to curb illegal work or employment beyond authorised status.
For businesses, this means real-time oversight of each worker’s residence timeline. A missed renewal can result in a return decision, abruptly terminating availability and forcing painful rota changes. Many Dutch companies now embed immigration compliance into HR systems or outsource it to specialist partners to guarantee continuity.
The Netherlands operates a highly structured regime for third-country labour under Wet arbeid vreemdelingen (Wav). Employers typically need a TWV (work permit) or a combined GVVA (single permit for residence and work)—with UWV and IND jointly assessing labour-market availability within the EU/EEA.
The seasonal work route (up to 24 weeks per year) remains the most flexible for sectors like agriculture, horticulture, food processing and warehouse logistics. Strict tracking of authorised periods is essential; breaches risk fines and potential loss of hiring privileges.
A special category are Ukrainian workers under the Temporary Protection Directive (2001/55/EC). They may work without a TWV, provided they register with the gemeente and the employer notifies UWV no later than two days before the start date (Business.gov.nl). Non-compliance can trigger administrative penalties.
Practical challenges include high turnover, differing interpretations of rules, and limited guidance on status combinations. In 2025, the Dutch government also announced tighter oversight of employment agencies to increase transparency and prevent abuse in seasonal recruitment. Operational efficiency must therefore go hand in hand with legal precision—or companies risk fines, reputational damage, and scrutiny from authorities.
In today’s regulatory environment, Dutch companies need solutions that marry legal certainty with operational agility:
Continuous status monitoring — track every IND decision (extensions, revocations), automate reminders for permit expiries, and centralise documentation.
Wav & IND compliance audits — run regular internal checks on contracts, hours, notifications to UWV, and retention of evidence.
Partner with a specialist staffing agency — this is the fastest path to compliance, predictable onboarding, and workforce continuity.
In this context, partnering with Intraservis provides tangible value for employers in the Netherlands. We specialise in international staff leasing, workforce legalisation, and end-to-end administration for third-country nationals (including Ukraine, Georgia, the Philippines). Beyond supplying staff, Intraservis monitors residence status, validates documents, and proactively responds to regulatory changes—significantly reducing operational risk.
Working with an expert agency delivers legal safety and competitive advantage: uninterrupted production, swift coverage for turnover, and alignment with the latest IND and labour-inspection guidance. In a shifting migration landscape, such stability is not just helpful—it’s strategically essential.
The European labour market has reached a turning point: economies need migrant labour to sustain output, while regulators tighten rules to curb irregular work and enforce returns. The Netherlands, with one of Europe’s best-organised administrative systems, seeks a balance between economic efficiency and legal order.
For employers, this means intentional management of non-EU hiring, robust compliance programmes, and partnerships that guarantee lawful, scalable operations. Intraservis combines practical execution with up-to-date regulatory insight—supporting Dutch companies in building stable, legal, international teams.