How to Hire Chef and Kitchen Workers from Abroad in the Netherlands

6 min

Is there a kitchen staff shortage in the Netherlands and what are your options?

The Dutch hospitality sector faces persistent structural shortages for qualified line cooks, chef de partie candidates, and head chefs. Major urban hubs like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and The Hague, alongside seasonal coastal tourist zones in Zeeland and North Holland, routinely report unfilled back-of-house positions. Despite high demand, hiring kitchen personnel from outside the European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) involves strict regulatory hurdles set by Dutch authorities.

Under Dutch labor law, non-EU candidates must clear a stringent labor-market test administered by the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV). Standard kitchen roles such as line cooks, prep cooks, and kitchen assistants are generally not classified as shortage occupations for non-EU work permits. UWV expects employers to recruit within the Netherlands and the broader EU/EEA first. As a result, hiring non-EU kitchen staff for entry-level or mid-level roles is rarely approved unless you are bringing in specialized culinary experts, such as specialty cuisine head chefs, or utilizing specific bilateral arrangements.

Because of these barriers, most Dutch hospitality businesses short on kitchen staff take a two-pronged approach: they recruit EU/EEA nationals who hold immediate rights to work in the Netherlands without a work permit, or they file for a Combined Residence and Work Permit (GVVA) for experienced, specialized non-EU chefs who meet statutory salary and expertise thresholds. Understanding this distinction early prevents costly administrative rejections.

The legal reality: Permit routes for non-EU kitchen staff

If you decide to hire a chef from outside the EU/EEA, you as the employer must initiate the legal paperwork with Dutch authorities. You cannot expect the worker to secure a work permit independently from abroad.

The Combined Permit (GVVA): For most non-EU hires staying longer than 90 days, you apply for a Gecombineerde vergunning voor verblijf en arbeid (GVVA) directly through the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). The IND forwards the labor component to UWV for assessment.
The UWV Labor-Market Test: UWV evaluates whether prioriteitsgenietend aanbod (priority-enjoying labor supply) is available within the Netherlands or EU/EEA. To pass this test, you must prove you published the vacancy on national channels (such as werk.nl) and relevant job platforms for a minimum required period (typically at least 5 to 6 weeks) before submitting the application. You must document why applicants from the EU/EEA were unsuitable.
Specialty Cuisine Exceptions: Sector rules regarding specialized cuisine cooks undergo periodic updates. Employers should verify current policy with IND and UWV, as rules regarding quota allocations and qualification standards are subject to change. Standard European or western-style line cooks rarely qualify under specialty exemptions.
EU/EEA Workers: Nationals from EU/EEA member states and Switzerland do not require a TWV (Tewerkstellingsvergunning) or GVVA. They can start work immediately upon registering in the Personal Records Database (BRP) and obtaining a Dutch Citizen Service Number (Burgerservicenummer or BSN).

Always consult the IND (ind.nl) and UWV (uwv.nl) websites directly to verify current filing criteria, exemption lists, and official fee structures before making a formal job offer.

Realistic timelines: From offer to first service

Hiring a worker from abroad requires realistic planning. Expect significant lead time between extending a job offer and the worker's first day in your kitchen.

EU/EEA Candidates (2 to 6 weeks): The timeline depends primarily on notice periods, travel arrangements, and securing initial local accommodation in the Netherlands. Registration for a BSN at a municipality (gemeente) can take several weeks depending on local appointment backlogs.
Non-EU Candidates via GVVA (3 to 6 months): The mandatory recruitment phase to satisfy UWV takes 5 to 6 weeks. The official processing period for an IND decision on a GVVA application takes up to 90 days. If approved, the candidate must obtain an entry visa (MVV) from the Dutch embassy in their home country, travel to the Netherlands, and collect their residence card.

Factor these lead times into your operational planning. If you require immediate seasonal support for the summer peak, non-EU filings initiated in spring will arrive too late.

Pay scales, collective agreements, and housing duties

Employment terms for kitchen workers in the Netherlands are strictly regulated by statutory laws and sector collective bargaining agreements.

Collective Labour Agreement (Horeca CAO): Most hospitality businesses fall under the KHN Collective Labour Agreement for the Hospitality Industry (CAO Horeca). Kitchen staff are classified into job groups (functiegroepen) based on the reference function system (Reference Functions Horeca). A qualified line cook (zelfstandig werkend kok) typically falls into CAO scale 5 or 6, corresponding to gross monthly salaries between 2,400 EUR and 3,100 EUR based on full-time employment (38 hours per week) and experience levels. Head chefs (chef-kok) occupy higher scales, often earning between 3,200 EUR and 4,500 EUR gross per month.
Statutory Minimum Wage: You must always pay at least the Dutch statutory minimum wage (Wettelijk Minimumloon), calculated on an hourly basis. Non-EU work permit approvals will be rejected by UWV if the proposed salary falls below market rates or fails to meet mandatory statutory floors.
Housing Obligations and Realities: The Netherlands faces an acute nationwide housing shortage. While hospitality employers are not legally required to provide permanent housing under general labor law, offering temporary accommodation is practically essential when hiring from abroad. Without secured housing, candidates cannot register in the BRP to receive a BSN, which blocks compliant payroll processing. If you provide or arrange housing, deductions from wages must strictly comply with the Wage Payment Act (Wet aanpak schijnconstructies), limiting rent deductions to certified housing standards (such as SNF certification) and capped percentages of statutory pay.
Qualification Recognition: The trade of cook or chef is not legally regulated in the Netherlands, meaning workers do not need a formal Dutch license to practice. However, assessing foreign diplomas through SBB (Samenwerkingsorganisatie Beroepsonderwijs Bedrijfsleven) helps verify that practical vocational training matches Dutch qualification levels.

What this costs you, roughly

Budgeting for international hiring requires looking beyond monthly wages. Below is a breakdown of typical initial cost lines per worker:

IND Application Fee (GVVA): Approximately 380 EUR to 400 EUR per non-EU applicant (non-refundable fee set by the Dutch government).
Diploma Evaluation (SBB): Free to roughly 150 EUR if external credential verification is needed.
Relocation and Travel: 200 EUR to 800 EUR for intra-European transport; 600 EUR to 1,500 EUR for long-haul flights from outside Europe.
Initial Housing Support: 1,000 EUR to 3,000 EUR to cover temporary lodging, deposit assistance, or short-term rental buffer during the onboarding period.
Translation and Legalization: 150 EUR to 400 EUR for official translation of birth certificates, background checks, or diplomas required for Dutch registration.

Ethical recruitment and worker payment rules

Under Dutch law and international labor standards, a legitimate employer never asks a job seeker or worker to pay for recruitment, processing, or placement fees. Charging workers for access to employment opportunities, work permit applications, or administrative handling is illegal and constitutes debt bondage risk. Dutch labor inspectors (Nederlandse Arbeidsinspectie) actively investigate fraudulent recruitment schemes. If an intermediate agency or representative charges candidates fees, your organization faces severe reputational damage, administrative fines, and liability under joint liability regulations. Ensure all external recruitment expense is borne entirely by your company.

How to find candidates on the Workuro registry

If you choose to direct your own hiring and manage the immigration or onboarding process in-house, you can use the Workuro registry to find candidates. Workuro is a transparent profile directory where chefs and kitchen workers abroad create profiles stating their qualifications, experience, language skills, and intent to move to the Netherlands.

You can filter candidates by trade skills, language proficiency, and target location. Once you find suitable candidates, you contact them directly to conduct interviews, verify practical skills, and negotiate employment terms. Workuro is not a recruitment agency, takes no placement fees, and does not act as an intermediary in your hiring decisions. Please note that the Workuro registry is young and still growing, so candidate availability across specific culinary niches will vary. However, it offers a direct, cost-effective way to connect with workers ready to enter the Dutch market.