Offering work to Ukrainian refugees

Many Dutch businesses face employee shortages in the current labour market. Recruiting foreign staff can be a good solution. Thanks to the Temporary Protection Directive Ukraine, you do not have to apply for a work permit for Ukrainian refugees. They can quickly start working for you. Around half of Ukrainian refugees in the Netherlands have already found work.

Rules and conditions

There are specific conditions to protect the vulnerable group of Ukrainian refugees in the labour market. For example:

• A business must employ Ukrainian refugees by giving them an employment contract. You must also treat and reward this employee the same as other employees.
• Check carefully whether a refugee is covered by the Temporary Protection Directive Ukraine.
• Ukrainian refugees must have proof of residence in the Netherlands. This is a sticker in their passport or a card (also known as the O-document). They must apply for this proof of residence from the IND.
• As an employer, you have to report the new employee to the UWV. You report what work the employee will do, where, and how many hours per week. The Netherlands Labour Authority uses this information to check whether you comply with labour laws. The new employee may start work 2 working days after registering with the UWV. 

Temporary Protection Directive extended

For refugees with Ukrainian nationality, the Temporary Protection Directive is extended until 4 March 2026. Refugees for whom the Temporary Protection Directive applies can work and stay in the Netherlands until then. This includes refugees with Ukrainian nationality and non-Ukrainian refugees who already had permanent residence status in Ukraine. Their family members are also covered by the directive.

Exception for third-country nationals with temporary residence permits

For non-Ukrainians who had a temporary residence permit in Ukraine (third-country nationals), for example for work or study, the Temporary Protection Directive ends. This means that third-country nationals are not allowed to work in the Netherlands after 4 March 2024. Unless they hold a residence permit that allows working in the Netherlands.

Check the O-document

Are you not sure if you employ a third-country national who falls under this guideline as of 5 March? Then check this employee's details on the O-document. The O-document of third-country nationals who are no longer covered by the directive has an expiry date of 4 September 2023 or 10 January 2024.

Read which rules apply to which group on the IND's website.

Hiring Ukrainian refugees

There are several ways to hire Ukrainian refugees. If you need help, contact your municipality's employers’ service point (in Dutch). Do you have several branch offices? You can also check the website of the national service point LandelijkWerkgeversServicepoint (in Dutch) for a list of advisers per business sector. You can support Ukrainian refugees by offering them work via employment agencies that specialise in mediating on behalf of Eastern European employees.

Offering work on a freelance basis

Do you want to offer a work assignment to a Ukrainian refugee as a self-employed person? If so, you must apply for a work permit (TWV) for them. Read about the requirements for a Ukrainian refugee to register in the KVK Business Register.

Latest information

Read the latest information about procedures for hiring Ukrainian refugees and doing business with Ukraine and Russia:

• werk.nl (in Dutch): Hiring foreign employees and work permits.
• IND: Ukraine: effects on stay or application for Ukrainians and Russians.
• Dutch Council for Refugees (Vluchtelingenwerk) (in Dutch): Offering work to Ukrainians, what are the rules?
• Rijksoverheid (in Dutch): Permits for international staff.
• Government.nl: Work and income for refugees from Ukraine.
• UWV: Dashboard featuring stats about Ukraininan refugees in the Netherlands (in Dutch)
• RefugeeHelp: Refugees can contact this organisation for help in the Netherlands