How to Hire Nurses from Abroad in the Netherlands (2026)

7 min

The Reality of Hiring Non-EU Nurses in the Netherlands

Hiring registered nurses from outside the European Union directly into Dutch healthcare positions is difficult, slow, and relatively rare. If you expect a qualified foreign nurse to arrive in your hospital or care facility and start clinical shifts within a few weeks, the Dutch regulatory framework will disappoint you. It is essential to understand this upfront before committing budget or time.

The primary barrier is legal and linguistic. To work independently as a registered nurse (verpleegkundige) in the Netherlands, a worker must hold a valid entry in the national BIG register (Herregistratie en Herkenning Buitenlands Diploma). Obtaining this registration for a diploma earned outside the EU requires a formal evaluation of qualifications and a mandatory demonstration of Dutch language proficiency at the B2 level. Because very few non-EU candidates speak fluent Dutch before beginning a recruitment process, direct hiring into a nursing role is virtually impossible without a extended preparation phase.

Because of these barriers, Dutch healthcare employers who recruit from abroad rarely hire directly for immediate nurse roles. Instead, they typically use one of two main strategies:

The Trainee or Assistant Route: Employers hire non-EU candidates to work initially in lower-regulated roles, such as healthcare assistant (verzorgende IG or care support worker), while the worker undergoes intensive Dutch language training and completes the BIG recognition process.
Structured Overseas Preparation: Employers partner with foreign language institutes or international training programs to fund intensive Dutch language instruction (from A0 to B2 level) in the candidate's home country before the worker ever applies for a Dutch residency permit.

Demand for nursing staff is spread across the Netherlands, but the acute shortages are heaviest in the Randstad urban core (including Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht) and across the long-term care and nursing home sector (VVT - Verpleeg-, Verzorgingshuizen en Thuiszorg) nationwide.

The Legal Route: Qualification Recognition and Work Permits

Recruiting a non-EU nurse involves two separate government tracks: qualification recognition through health authorities and immigration processing through the Ministry of Justice and Security.

1. Qualification Recognition (CIBG and BIG Register)
The BIG register is administered by the CIBG, an executing agency of the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport). For a non-EU diploma, the assessment is conducted by the Commission for Foreign Healthcare Graduates (Commissie Buitenslands Gediplomeerden Volksgezondheid - CBGV).

Diploma Evaluation: The candidate's education is compared against Dutch nursing standards.
Language and Skills Testing (AKV): The candidate must pass the General Knowledge and Skills (Algemene Kennis- en Vaardighedentoets - AKV) test. This assesses Dutch language skills at the B2 level, English reading comprehension, and knowledge of Dutch healthcare delivery.
Deficiency Repair: If the CBGV identifies gaps between the foreign degree and Dutch standards, the candidate may be required to complete a supervised clinical placement (aanpassingsstage) or additional course modules in the Netherlands.

2. Residence and Work Permit (GVVA)
To bring a non-EU worker to the Netherlands, the employer must apply for a Single Permit for residence and work (Gecombineerde vergunning voor verblijf en arbeid - GVVA) through the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst - IND). The IND coordinates with the employee insurance agency (Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen - UWV) to verify that labor market conditions are met.

If your organization is registered as a Recognised Sponsor (erkend referent) with the IND, permit processing is significantly faster. Always verify current administrative criteria, filing fees, and criteria directly with the IND and CIBG, as immigration and healthcare regulations are updated regularly.

Timeline: Decision to First Shift

Planning for non-EU nurse recruitment must be measured in months, not weeks. The total process generally takes between 9 and 18 months from the initial conditional offer to the worker performing full clinical duties as a registered nurse.

Months 1 to 8 (Language Acquisition): Reaching B2 level Dutch from scratch requires intensive study. If conducted full-time, this phase takes 6 to 9 months. If conducted part-time alongside work in the candidate's home country, it can take 12 months or longer.
Months 8 to 11 (CIBG Evaluation and AKV Examination): Document submission, educational review, and scheduling the AKV exam in the Netherlands takes approximately 3 to 5 months.
Months 11 to 14 (GVVA Permit Processing): Once the foreign qualification pathway is mapped or recognized, the IND process takes roughly 6 to 12 weeks for recognized sponsors, or up to 3 months for non-recognized employers.
Months 14 to 18 (Onboarding and Placement): Arrival in the Netherlands, local registration, and completing any required adaptation period or supervised practice.

If you bring candidates in under a temporary permit as a healthcare assistant while they finish their language and recognition requirements locally, the timeline from offer to arrival can be reduced to 4 to 6 months. However, the worker cannot practice as a fully registered nurse until CIBG criteria are satisfied.

Pay, Working Conditions, and Legal Obligations

Salary structures for healthcare workers in the Netherlands are strictly regulated by sector-wide Collective Labour Agreements (CAO - Collectieve Arbeidsovereenkomst). You cannot pay a foreign worker less than a domestic worker in the same role.

Hospital Sector (CAO Ziekenhuizen): Fully registered nurses (verpleegkundigen) generally fall into scale FWG 45 or FWG 50, with gross monthly salaries ranging between roughly €2,900 and €4,400 for a full-time 36-hour week, depending on experience.
Elderly and Home Care (CAO VVT): Nurses in long-term care are typically graded in FWG 45 or FWG 50. If a worker is employed during their transition period as a care assistant (verzorgende IG), they are paid according to FWG 35 or FWG 40 (roughly €2,400 to €3,500 gross monthly).
Housing Support: There is a severe structural housing shortage across the Netherlands, particularly in major metro areas. While Dutch law does not strictly obligate healthcare employers to provide permanent housing, finding private accommodation without a Dutch rental history is nearly impossible for a arriving worker. Employers who successfully recruit abroad typically secure short-term or medium-term housing (such as leased apartments or staff housing) for the candidate's first 3 to 12 months.

It is vital to maintain strict ethical recruitment standards. Under Dutch law and international recruitment codes, a legitimate employer or sponsor never charges a candidate for job placement, visa processing, or legal applications. Workers who are asked to pay recruitment fees by third-party agents are being defrauded, and employers who knowingly utilize fraudulent agency networks face severe legal liability, loss of IND sponsor status, and substantial fines from the Dutch Labour Inspectorate (Nederlandse Arbeidsinspectie). You must cover all administrative, immigration, and permit expenses yourself.

What This Costs You, Roughly

Budgeting for international nurse recruitment in the Netherlands must account for permit fees, legal processing, educational costs, and relocation support. Below are the standard direct cost ranges per candidate:

IND Permit Fees (GVVA / Recognized Sponsor): €380 to €1,200 depending on sponsor status and permit type.
CIBG Application and AKV Exam Fees: €1,000 to €2,000 for formal foreign diploma evaluation and testing.
Dutch Language Training (A0 to B2 Level): €3,500 to €7,500 per worker for accredited courses and materials.
Travel and Arrival Expenses: €600 to €1,500 for flights and local transit.
Initial Housing Support/Subsidy: €2,000 to €5,000 to secure or subsidize temporary accommodation during the initial months.

Finding Candidates on the Workuro Registry

Workuro operates an open registry where international candidates, including qualified nurses and healthcare workers, publish profiles stating their education, language skills, and desire to relocate to the Netherlands. Workuro is not a recruitment agency, does not charge per-hire placement fees, and does not act as an intermediary in employment negotiations.

As a Dutch healthcare employer, you can search the registry directly to identify candidates who have already started learning Dutch or who possess qualifications suitable for bridging programs. You review candidate profiles and contact nurses directly to arrange interviews and discuss contract terms.

Please note that the Workuro registry is young and still growing. You will not find tens of thousands of Dutch-speaking non-EU nurses ready for immediate deployment. What you will find are motivated candidates who want to work in the Netherlands, giving you a direct starting point for your own internal recruitment and onboarding pipeline without agency overhead.