The Dutch single permit (GVVA) for regular employment

The GVVA (Dutch: Gecombineerde vergunning voor verblijf en arbeid, often called the Single permit) is the standard immigration route for non-EU/EEA/Swiss nationals who want to live and work in the Netherlands in paid employment for more than 90 days, in cases where a work authorisation is required. The GVVA combines two permissions in one procedure:

• a residence permit (to stay in the Netherlands), and
• a work authorisation (normally issued after advice from UWV, the Dutch Employee Insurance Agency).

A key practical feature is that the GVVA is issued as a residence card plus an “additional document”. You may only start working after you have received both documents, and the additional document specifies for which employer you are allowed to work and under which conditions.

The GVVA is commonly used for “regular” employment situations where the Netherlands applies a labour market assessment (in other words, the employer must generally show that suitable candidates could not be found within the Netherlands/EEA/Switzerland).

Application requirements

General legal and practical requirements

While the exact evidence differs per category and profession, a GVVA application usually requires the following building blocks:

A genuine employment relationship

• A clear role, tasks, working hours, and an employer-employee relationship (not disguised self-employment).

A qualifying employer in the Netherlands

• The Dutch employer typically acts as the sponsor for the foreign worker under the GVVA framework.

Compliance with Dutch employment standards

• Employers must comply with Dutch employment law, including paying the salary the worker is entitled to (for example based on age, role, and any applicable collective labour agreement).

Labour market conditions (in many cases)

In principle, the Netherlands allows hiring from outside the EEA/Switzerland only if the employer can demonstrate they cannot find a suitable candidate within the EEA/Switzerland, and the vacancy was open for a minimum period (often at least five weeks, and at least three months for vacancies deemed difficult to fill).

Entry requirements (MVV when applicable)

For many nationalities and longer stays, the process may involve an Entry and Residence Procedure (TEV) and an MVV (provisional residence permit) before arrival. For performers and other categories, the government explicitly describes this TEV route for MVV and GVVA.

Salary requirements (including special industries)

Salary expectations under the GVVA are not one single number across all sectors. Instead, the benchmark is typically:

1. Dutch legal standards (including minimum wage rules and lawful working conditions), and
2. Sector norms, especially where a collective labour agreement (CAO) applies, plus
3. Any sector-specific thresholds (notably in parts of the art and culture field)

Salary requirements in the art and cultural industry

The IND explicitly lists “employee in art and culture” as a work area where the GVVA may be relevant. For certain performing arts roles, UWV publishes a profession list with minimum gross monthly salary reference amounts for musicians and artists. Examples of listed roles and reference amounts include:

• Actor: from €4,233 gross per month
• Director (Regisseur): from €4,233 gross per month
• Conductor (Dirigent): from €4,000 gross per month
• Soloist (music/opera): from €4,000 gross per month
• Choreographer: from €3,200 gross per month
• Singer / musical performer: from €2,971 gross per month
• Designer (set/costume/lighting/sound/video): from €1,921 gross per month

*Figures are valid from 1 January 2026 up to and including 30 June 2026.

These figures matter because, in the cultural field, salary level can affect how the labour market assessment is applied, including “fast-track” considerations for elite performers (where elite status is tied to salary).

Practical note: In arts and culture, the “right route” is not always the GVVA. Short performances, touring schedules, or freelance structures can trigger different permit logic. Getting the category wrong is one of the most common and costly errors.

Who is suitable to apply for the GVVA

The GVVA is most suitable where the person will be employed in the Netherlands for more than 90 days, the person is a non-EU/EEA/Swiss national, and the job does not fall under a simpler or faster alternative route.

Common profiles include:

• Skilled employees with a Dutch job offer, where the role does not meet (or the employer does not want to use) the highly skilled migrant route. (The HSM route has different requirements and typically requires a recognised sponsor, whereas GVVA cases often hinge on labour market assessment.)
• International hires in regulated or niche roles where the employer can document that recruitment in the EEA/Switzerland did not produce a suitable candidate.
• Employees in art and culture, including theatre, opera, musical, classical music, and dance-related employment structures, where the work is organised as paid employment.
• Certain other categories listed by the IND under the GVVA framework (for example specific religious roles or certain non-profit/international organisation contexts).

Pros and cons of the GVVA

Advantages

1. One integrated procedure (residence + work authorisation)

The GVVA is designed as a single route combining residence permission and work permission.

2. Clear employer-specific work authorisation

The “additional document” clearly states which employer the worker may work for and under what conditions, which can reduce ambiguity in compliance discussions.

3. Can be a viable solution outside “highly skilled” schemes

Where salary thresholds or sponsor recognition for other schemes create barriers, GVVA can remain a workable path, provided the labour market and compliance requirements are satisfied.

Disadvantages

1. Labour market assessment can be demanding

The core difficulty is often proving that no suitable candidate was available within the Netherlands/EEA/Switzerland, including vacancy publication and recruitment evidence.

2. Employer-dependent work status

Because the GVVA is tied to the employer named in the additional document, changing jobs typically requires a new application with the new employer.

3. Timing and planning risk

Because the process depends on multiple steps and authorities, poor planning can lead to start-date delays. The IND also states you may not start working until the residence permit and additional document have been issued.

Key points to pay attention to when applying GVVA

Choose the correct immigration route first

GVVA is not always the best route. Depending on the person’s profile and the role, alternatives may exist (for example highly skilled routes, sector-specific exceptions, or different residence categories). The IND itself distinguishes between GVVA and “residence permit for paid employment” situations where a single permit is not possible or not required.

Build the labour market file like an audit file

When a labour market assessment applies, assume the file will be reviewed critically. Consider the following pinpoints in the application.

• vacancy publication details and dates;
• evidence of recruitment efforts and interview records;
• objective reasons why EEA/Swiss candidates were not suitable.

Get salary positioning right (especially in arts/culture)

In arts and cultural cases, salary is not only a compliance issue, it can influence how the case is categorised and assessed. Where UWV/sector reference amounts apply, align the contract and role description with the relevant professional framework.

Sponsor duties and compliance obligations

Sponsors (and recognised sponsors) have ongoing legal duties, including notification obligations and record-keeping duties. These are not “paperwork only”: they can affect future cases and enforcement risk.

Practical arrival steps

Depending on nationality and case type, plan for entry formalities (e.g., MVV when required) and post-arrival steps. For instance, the IND mentions TB testing obligations where applicable and that the test should be arranged within a set period after receiving the permit if you indicated you would take one.

Contact Amice Advocaten

GVVA applications often look straightforward on paper but fail in practice due to route selection, labour market documentation gaps, or contract and salary misalignment (particularly in the cultural sector). Amice Advocaten can advise employers and employees on:

• strategy and category selection,
• evidentiary requirements and file-building,
• sponsor compliance obligations, and
• risk assessment before submission.

Contact our professional legal team today and get a full assessment for your or your employee’s case.