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Working Holiday Program (WHP)/ Working Holiday Scheme (WHS)

​Young people from Argentina, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, New Zealand and South Korea can come to the Netherlands for a maximum of 1 year to get to know the Dutch culture. 

The Working Holiday Program (WHP) or Working Holiday Scheme (WHS) is a mutual cultural exchange program which makes it possible for persons aged 18 up to and including 30, to apply for a residence permit to stay up to 1 year in one of the participaing countries.

The main goal of the program is to get acquainted with Dutch culture and society. During their stay, one is allowed to follow a short study/course and to perform incidental labour in order to provide for onseself. This is a general principle of a WHP / WHS and is laid down in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) if the partner country concerned is also prepared to provide Dutch youth access and residence to their country on the basis of the same principles.

The WHP and WHS is not intended for regular labor migrants, highly skilled migrants, students and au pairs. They must apply for a residence permit for that specific purpose of stay.

So far, the Netherlands has entered into an MoU for WHP/WHS with the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, New Zealand and South Korea.

The main goal of the program is to get acquainted with Dutch culture and society. For employment as an incidental aspect of their holiday, a work permit is not required. However, there is a restriction concerning the amount of hours that one is allowed to work. With a residence permit for WHP/WHS, it is allowed to work for one and the same employer for a maximum of 12 consecutive weeks. It is not allowed to spread the hours that someone is working, in order to cover a period longer than 12 weeks. After working for the same employer for a period of 12 weeks, one is allowed to work for another employer for another 12 consecutive weeks

Persons who have entered the Netherlands under the WHP/WHS-program will be required to comply with the laws and regulations of the Netherlands and not to engage in employment that is in contrary to the purpose of the WHP/WHS.

​Conditions

There are certain conditions that apply to everyone. In addition to these conditions, the following conditions apply for you:

  • You have the nationality of one of the following countries: Australia, Argentina, Canada, Hong Kong, New Zealand, or South Korea;

  • You are coming to the Netherlands for cultural exchange. The main goal is to is to get acquainted with Dutch culture and society;

  • You are aged between 18 and 30 inclusive at the time of application;

  • You are not accompanied by dependent children;

  • You have not previously had a residence permit for exchange in the Netherlands;

  • You have a valid passport;

  • You have a return travel ticket or sufficient funds with which to purchase such a ticket;

  • You have enough funds to support yourself financially during the period of initial stay in The Netherlands;

  • You have a medical and comprehensive hospitalization insurance to remain in force throughout your stay in the Netherlands.

For Argentineans, Hong Kong citizens and South Koreans applies that of each nationality a maximum of 100 persons can participate in the WHP per year. No maximum number of participants applies to Canadians, Australians and New Zealanders.

Costs

This application costs € 57.

Apply online

You can submit this application online if you are a citizen from Australia, Canada or New Zealand.

Are you a citizen of South Korea?

You cannot submit this application online. You first have to apply at the Dutch embassy in Seoul for a proof of preregistration for participation. You will need this proof of preregistration for your application for a residence permit in the Netherlands at the IND. To apply, please use the written application. You cannot apply for a residence permit at the Dutch embassy in Seoul.

Are you a citizen of Argentina or Hong Kong?

You cannot submit this application online. You have to start the procedure at the Dutch embassy in Buenos Aires (Argentina) or the Dutch Consulate General in Hong Kong (Hong Kong).

Apply online

Checklist documents

The application form lists the documents that you need for your application.

You have to have official foreign documents legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German.

Steps in the application procedure

1. Submit application and payment

​Are you a citizen of Australia, Canada, New Zealand or South Korea?
Please select the tab 'without mvv'.

Are you a citizen of Argentina or Hong Kong?
You first have to apply for a [provisional residence permit] (mvv). This is a special visa to enter the Netherlands. You submit this application yourself at the Dutch representation. The Dutch representation will forward your application to the IND. You then will receive a letter from the representation with instructions on how to pay the fees. Please check the website of the Dutch representation for the application form and information on how to apply.

2. Receipt and check application

​The day you submit your application at the Dutch embassy is de start date of your application. The IND should take a decision within the statutory decision period.

The embassy sends your application to the IND. The IND will then check to see if your application is complete and if the fees have been paid. Are documents missing, or are documents not correct? In that case, the IND will send a letter: a request to rectify the omission. This letter lists the documents that still need to be sent. Send the requested documents before the mentioned date to the IND.

3. Decision

​The IND checks if you meet all the conditions. The IND has to make a decision within a period of 90 days.

  • Negative decision

    If you do not meet the conditions, you will not get an mvv and a residence permit. This decision is given in the formal decision. You can apply for a review of this decision.

  • Positive decision

    If you meet all the conditions, you will get an mvv and a residence permit. The IND also informs the Dutch representation.

4. Collect mvv

​You collect the mvv from the Dutch representation where you have submitted the application form.

You have 3 months to collect the mvv. Please make an appointment for this with the representation. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months on the day you get the mvv.

5. Travel to the Netherlands

​Once you have collected your mvv, you can travel to the Netherlands. The mvv is valid for 90 days. The validity is shown on the mvv sticker. The mvv sticker shows 2 dates:

  • Effective date: as of this date the mvv is valid.
  • End date: as of this date the mvv is no longer valid.
The mvv allows you to travel within the Schengen Area.

Steps in the application procedure

1. Submit application and payment

​Are you a citizen of South Korea?
You first have to apply at the Dutch embassy in Seoul for a proof of preregistration for participation. You do this by sending an email with your name, date of birth and passport number, to SEO-CA@minbuza.nl. If there are no vacant spots left for participation in the WHP, you will be put on a waiting list. If there are spots available, you will receive an email with your proof of preregistration, which has a sequence number. You have to take a printed version with you to the Netherlands. You will need this when applying for the residence permit at the IND.

In the Netherlands, you submit the application for the residence permit by using the application form at the bottom of this page. Download the application form and send it together with the required documents to the IND.
After the application has been received, the IND sends a letter stating how the fees are to be paid.     
After the IND has received your application, please make an appointment online within 2 weeks to visit an IND Desk to provide your biometric information.

Are you a citizen of Australia, Canada or New Zealand?
You do not need a visa to travel to the Netherlands. You can apply for the residence permit directly. This can be done in 2 ways:

  • You apply to the Dutch representation in your own country or the country of continuous residence.
    You submit the application to the Dutch representation (embassy or consulate). The Dutch representation forwards your application to the IND. After you have submitted the application, you will get a letter from the Dutch representation stating how the fees are to be paid.For the application form and information on how to apply and how to pay the fees, please contact the Dutch representation.

Are you a citizen of South Korea? You can only apply for your residence permit Working Holiday to the Dutch embassy in Seoul. You cannot apply in another country. You also cannot apply in the Netherlands.

  • You apply in the Netherlands.
    You are already in the Netherlands. You submit the application to the IND. Please, use the application form. The form is at the bottom of this page. Send the application form together with the required documents to the IND. After the application has been received, the IND sends a letter stating how the fees are to be paid.     
    After the IND has received your application, please make an appointment online within 2 weeks to visit an IND Desk to provide your biometric information.

2. Receipt and check application

After your application has been received, the IND sends a confirmation letter. The confirmation letter states the date the IND has received the application. It also states the period within which the IND makes a decision.

The IND will then check to see if your application is complete and if the fees have been paid. Are documents missing, or are documents not correct? In that case, the IND will send a letter: a request to rectify the omission. This letter lists the documents that still need to be sent. Send the requested documents before the mentioned date to the IND.

3. Decision

​The IND checks whether you meet all the conditions. The IND has to make a decision within a period of 90 days.

  • Negative decision
    If you do not meet the conditions, you will not get a residence permit. This decision is given in the formal decision. You can apply for a review of this decision.
  • Positive decision
    If you meet all the conditions, you will get a residence permit. The IND will send you a letter indicating when you can collect the residence permit.

Are you still abroad? Upon arrival in the Netherlands, you then go to an IND desk to give the biometric information.

Application forms and costs

Application form available at the Dutch representation

​For the application form and information on how to apply, please contact the Dutch representation.

Checklist documents

The application form lists the documents that you have to enclose with the application.

You have to have official foreign documents legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German.

Costs application

This application costs € 57.

Application forms and costs

Application for a residence permit with the purpose of residence being ‘exchange’ within the context of the Working Holiday Program or Working Holiday Scheme7520

​Use this form if you have Canadian, Australian or New Zealand nationality.

Are you still abroad? Please, go to the Dutch representation to submit your application. You will be given an application form there.

Do you have Argentinian nationality? You can only submit an application at the Dutch representation in Argentina. You will be given an application form there.

Are you a citizen of South Korea? You cannot submit this application online. You first have to apply at the Dutch embassy in Seoul for a proof of preregistration for participation. You will need this proof of preregistration for your application for a residence permit in the Netherlands at the IND. To apply, please use the written application. You cannot apply for a residence permit at the Dutch embassy in Seoul.

Checklist documents

The application form lists the documents that you have to enclose with the application. 

You have to have official foreign documents legalised and translated into Dutch, English, French or German.

How to send documents to the IND:

  • You only send copies of your documents, single-sided and on A4 paper.
  • The copies must be complete and legible (clear enough to be read).
  • Write down your V-number or client number on each copy. If you do not know these numbers, then please write your name and date of birth on each copy.
  • Do not send USB sticks, CDs or DVDs.
  • You keep the original documents yourself. You have to show these documents to the Dutch representation abroad.

Costs application

This application costs € 57.​

Download  

After the application

Collect your residence permit

The IND aims to have your residence permit ready within 2 weeks following your arrival in the Netherlands. The IND will send you a letter indicating when you can collect the residence permit. For this, you have to make an appointment online at the IND desk stated in the letter. Keep in mind that it is not always possible to visit an IND desk at short notice. Therefore, please schedule an appointment in time, but at least within 4 months after having received the letter.

Check to see if the information on the residence permit is correct while you are still at the IND desk. If something is incorrect, please inform the IND staff member at once.

Registration with the municipality

Upon arrival in the Netherlands, you must register in the Municipal Personal Records Database (BPR)  in the municipality you are going to live.

To register with the municipality you need a legalised and translated  birth certificate. Take this therefore with you when you travel to the Netherlands.

TB test

You have indicated your intent to undergo a tuberculosis test (TB test) when you applied. You have to make an appointment for this with the Area Health Authority (GGD). You do this within 3 months after having received your residence permit. Please take the 'TB test referral form' with you to the appointment.

In some cases you are exempt from taking a TB test.

Take out health insurance

Anyone living in the Netherlands must take out health insurance. You do this within 4 months following your arrival in the Netherlands.

Validity residence permit

​The residence permit under the Working Holiday Program or Working Holiday Scheme is valid for 1 year. The residence permit starts on the day that you submitted the application.

Did you apply for an mvv?
Then the residence permit starts on the entry date that you filled out on the application. Did you not fill out an entry date? Then the residence permit starts the day after the mvv is placed in your passport.

Right to work

With your residence permit for WHP/WHS, you are only allowed to carry out work of an incidental nature and only in order to support your holiday financially. This, because the main goal of your stay in the Netherlands is cultural exchange and not paid employment. If you work, your employer does not need a working permit ([TWV]) for you.

You are not allowed to work in the Netherlands as a self-employed person. If you would like to do this, then you have to apply for a a residence permit as a self-employed person.

In case you aplied for your residence permit in the Netherlands, you can collect a residence endorsement sticker. For this, you have to schedule an appointment online. With the sticker, you are already allowed to carry out incidental work.

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formal decision

​A formal letter with the decision on your application.

Dutch representation

​This is the Dutch embassy or consulate.

Country of continuous residence

​A country of continuous residence is a country (other than the country of origin) where you may lawfully live for more than 3 months. This means you have a valid residence permit for that country. Or that you are waiting for your application for a residence permit to be approved.

Are you in a country in your free term? Of with a visa for short stay (maximum of 3 months)? This is not continuous residence.