Working in the Netherlands from Brazil: Visa, Permit, Costs (2026)

Reality check: Moving from Brazil to the Netherlands for trade work

Moving from Brazil to the Netherlands to work in a trade can open up great professional opportunities. However, you must understand the legal path clearly before you begin. The Dutch labor market has strict protection laws. For general manual labor, basic warehouse work, or entry-level hospitality jobs, getting a work permit as a Brazilian citizen is very difficult. Dutch law requires employers to search for candidates inside the Netherlands and the European Union before they can hire someone from outside the EU.

If you have specialized trade experience as a certified welder, international truck driver, or technical installer, realistic permit options exist. If you do not have specialized trade certificates and want a simpler entry point into Europe from Brazil, Portugal is often a more realistic target country due to language agreements and open labor market visas. But if a Dutch employer is ready to hire you for a skilled position, here is exactly how the visa, permit, and legal process works.

Dutch work permits for Brazilian citizens: How the GVVA works

To work legally in the Netherlands as a Brazilian national for more than 90 days, you usually need a Single Permit. In the Netherlands, this combined residence and work permit is called the GVVA (Gecombineerde vergunning voor verblijf en arbeid). This single procedure covers both your right to stay in the country and your permission to work for a specific employer.

For agricultural work or seasonal employment lasting under 24 weeks, a seasonal work permit exists under the Dutch labor rules. Regardless of the exact permit type, the employer in the Netherlands must apply first. You cannot apply for a Dutch work permit on your own. Your prospective employer submits the application directly to the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) in the Netherlands.

Once the IND approves the application, you must collect your entry visa. You will submit your passport and biometrics at the nearest official location serving Brazil. This is typically the Dutch Embassy in Brasília, the Dutch Consulate-General in São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro, or an official VFS Global visa application centre serving Brazil. After your entry visa (known as an MVV) is stamped in your passport, you can travel to Amsterdam or another Dutch city to collect your physical residence card.

Documents you need from Brazil and the Apostille rule

Preparing your paperwork correctly in Brazil prevents delays when your Dutch employer files your application. You will need to gather several personal and professional documents before leaving South America.

• Valid passport: Your Brazilian passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your planned arrival date and have at least two empty pages.
• Signed employment contract: A binding job offer or official contract signed by the registered Dutch company detailing your position and salary in Euros.
• Police clearance certificate: A clean criminal background record (Certidão de Antecedentes Criminais) issued by the Polícia Federal in Brazil.
• Proof of qualifications: Diplomas, vocational certificates, or official reference letters from previous Brazilian employers proving your experience in your trade.
• Apostille seal: Because Brazil and the Netherlands are both members of the Hague Apostille Convention, your official Brazilian documents (like police records or trade certificates) must receive an Apostille (Apostila de Haia) at a recognized notary office (cartório) in Brazil.
• Sworn translations: Documents issued in Portuguese must be translated into Dutch or English by an official sworn translator (tradutor juramentado).
• Health insurance: Travel medical insurance to cover your flight and initial days in the Netherlands until you are enrolled in Dutch national healthcare.

Realistic costs in Reais (BRL) and Euros (EUR)

Understanding your expenses helps you avoid financial surprises. Official fees for processing work permits are set by the Netherlands government, and processing times vary based on the season and trade sector.

• IND application fee: Set by the Netherlands government, this official fee is approximately 350 to 400 EUR. In most trade recruitment scenarios, the employer pays this fee directly to the IND, but you should confirm this in writing.
• Processing time: The IND generally takes approximately 8 to 12 weeks to decide on a complete GVVA application once submitted.
• Police clearance: Free to request online directly from the Brazilian Federal Police website.
• Hague Apostille in Brazil: Costs approximately R$ 100 to R$ 180 (roughly 15 to 30 EUR) per document at a Brazilian cartório.
• Sworn translation: Costs approximately R$ 120 to R$ 250 (roughly 20 to 40 EUR) per page in Brazil.
• Flight ticket: A one-way flight from São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro to Amsterdam costs approximately R$ 3,500 to R$ 7,000 (roughly 550 to 1,100 EUR), depending on the season and advance booking.

Warning about placement fees and scams: European Union and Dutch regulations clearly state that no recruitment agency or employer may legally charge a worker a fee simply to give them a job offer. The employer carries the cost of recruitment. Be very cautious of individuals or agencies in Brazil or online asking for money upfront for job guarantees, visa processing fees, or work contracts in the Netherlands. These are almost always scams.

Trades in demand in the Netherlands

While general labor is strictly regulated, Dutch companies actively search foreign markets for specialized technical roles. Here are three trades currently seeing international recruitment from outside the EU:

• Specialized welders: Industrial TIG and MIG welders are needed for shipbuilding, pipeline work, and structural steel manufacturing in Dutch industrial ports.
• International truck drivers: Logistics companies in the Netherlands recruit heavy goods drivers holding valid C/E licenses for long-distance European freight routes.
• Greenhouse technicians: Modern Dutch agricultural hubs hire electro-mechanical technicians experienced in maintaining automated climate and irrigation systems inside commercial greenhouses.

Myths vs facts

Many Brazilian workers receive inaccurate advice about moving to Europe. Clear up these common misunderstandings before making financial decisions.

• Myth: You can fly to Amsterdam as a tourist from Brazil and legally look for a trade job or start working immediately.
  Fact: While Brazilian passport holders can enter the Schengen area without a tourist visa for 90 days, performing any paid work on tourist status is illegal and results in deportation and a European travel ban.
• Myth: You must pay a deposit to an agency in Brazil to secure your Dutch work permit approval.
  Fact: Legitimate agencies and employers pay for recruitment; demanding upfront fees from job seekers for a work contract is illegal under Dutch labor laws.
• Myth: Speaking basic English is enough to live and work in every trade across the Netherlands forever.
  Fact: While English is widely used in Dutch logistics and international manufacturing, learning conversational Dutch is essential for job site safety and long-term career growth.
• Myth: Any small business in the Netherlands can hire a Brazilian worker directly without proving why they chose them.
  Fact: Dutch labor authorities require proof that the employer attempted to recruit within the EU before approving a work permit for a non-EU citizen.

Before you sign

Review this essential checklist carefully before signing any employment agreement or sending personal documents to an employer in the Netherlands.

• Check contract details: Verify that your contract explicitly states your gross monthly salary in Euros, weekly working hours, and overtime compensation rates.
• Confirm permit responsibility: Ensure the agreement clearly states that the employer will submit the GVVA or work permit application to the IND on your behalf.
• Clarify accommodation: Ask if the employer provides company housing or active support in finding registered accommodation, as finding housing in Dutch cities is very difficult.
• Apostille your paperwork: Confirm that your Brazilian background checks and core certificates have an official Apostille seal from a cartório.
• Verify company credentials: Make sure the hiring company is officially registered in the Netherlands KvK (Chamber of Commerce) registry.
• Keep original documents: Never mail your original Brazilian passport or birth certificates away; send clear color copies until official embassy verification is required.

Build your Workuro profile today

To connect with European employers who are actively looking for foreign trade skills, create your profile on Workuro. Make sure to list the details mentioned in this guide. Include your trade specializations, such as welding certifications or heavy driving licenses, your current passport status, your language skills in English or Dutch, and whether your Brazilian documents are already apostilled and translated.

Workuro is free for workers - employers pay to search the register, and nobody may charge you for a job.