When coming to the Netherlands to work for a longer period of time, you may want to bring your partner with you. But what about your partner? Can he or she work in the Netherlands as well?

The general rule is quite simple: as regards to work, your partner has the same rights as you. This means that if your residence permit allows you to work without a work permit, your partner does not need one either. Likewise, if you are only allowed to work with a work permit, your partner will need one too. Your partner’s future employer is responsible for the work permit application.

However, there are some exceptions to this rule. These can be fairly complicated, which is why we will not elaborate on this subject. If you intend to bring your partner and/or other family members, we recommend to check with your employer or host institution what his or her status on the labour market will be.