Teaching in the Netherlands: recognition, work permit, primary-school pay

Start with four details that determine your next step

Write down your nationality, country of teacher training, teaching authorisation and intended school sector. Include the pupils' age range and subjects you are qualified to teach. These details answer different questions: nationality or an existing residence permit affects work rights, while the diploma and its professional scope affect recognition. IND's employer guide says EU/EEA and Swiss nationals do not need a residence or work permit. For other nationalities it says the route depends on how long the person will stay in the Netherlands. A foreign teaching qualification alone does not settle that second track. Before applying to schools, prepare a short profile with these four details, your current registration status and your proposed start date. Ask the employer which teaching role and work-rights evidence it would require.

IND: Employing a foreign national

Match your teaching qualification to the DUO recognition category

DUO says that if you hold a foreign diploma and want to work indefinitely as a teacher in the Netherlands, you need to apply for recognition of your foreign professional qualification. Its conditions are: you completed a teacher training programme; its level equals Dutch higher professional education or higher; you are authorised to teach in the country where the diploma was issued; and the authorisation conferred by your diploma is the same as the one you apply for. The listed occupations include primary school teacher, special needs teacher, general secondary education teacher and teacher in secondary vocational education and adult education. The non-EU application form also asks secondary applicants to name their subjects. Obtain a clear statement of the ages, subjects and school level your qualification covers. DUO says that temporary or occasional teaching is a separate case: you register that intention instead.

DUO: Working as a teacher (recognition of foreign teaching qualifications) DUO: Request form Recognition of non-EU professional teaching qualifications

Build the application around evidence the issuer can verify

DUO's non-EU form (5264-EN-025) asks for a chronological overview of your education and employment experience, copies of higher-education certificates and relevant transcripts or supplements, language evidence, and a copy of your passport or other identity document. A copy of an IDW credential evaluation is optional. Higher-education certificates and transcripts not issued in Dutch, English or German need a certified translation, attached to a copy of the original. DUO may consult the responsible foreign authority to evaluate and verify, and says it will not process applications without the required documents. DUO says recognition is free. Translation, document issuance and your wider relocation budget are separate costs.

DUO: Request form Recognition of non-EU professional teaching qualifications DUO: Working as a teacher (recognition of foreign teaching qualifications)

Check language requirements for your actual school setting

DUO says that for diplomas obtained outside the EEA or Switzerland there are additional language requirements for some professions, namely primary and special-needs teaching. For Dutch, DUO asks for a certificate showing CEFR level B2 or higher, and lists a Dutch as a 2nd language (Nt2) State exam diploma, programme II, among the examples. Meeting it permits teaching in Dutch in the European Netherlands, on Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius. For English, DUO also asks for B2 or higher. Meeting it permits teaching in English on Saba and Sint Eustatius and in international education in the European Netherlands. That scope does not establish that English alone is enough for every Dutch school. Ask the school which language it uses for teaching, parent communication and professional meetings, and ask DUO which authorisation fits the post. Choose a language test only after confirming both.

DUO: Working as a teacher (recognition of foreign teaching qualifications) DUO: Request form Recognition of non-EU professional teaching qualifications

Use existing work rights before investigating sponsorship

IND states that nationals of an EU/EEA member state or Switzerland are free to work in the Netherlands and need no residence permit and no work permit. If you already hold a Dutch residence permit, UWV describes permits stating 'Arbeid vrij toegestaan. Tewerkstellingsvergunning (TWV) niet vereist' as ones that allow work without a work permit. Show the employer your actual document rather than describing yourself as a European resident. Recognition of teaching qualifications remains a separate matter. Ask the school to confirm in writing the evidence it will accept and whether any restriction applies to the proposed employment.

IND: Employing a foreign national UWV: Werkvergunning reguliere arbeidsplaats (work permit for a regular job)

A Highly Skilled Migrant route depends on the employer and offer

An IND leaflet lists these requirements for the Highly Skilled Migrant permit: an employment contract with an employer in the Netherlands, an employer that is a sponsor recognised by the IND, sufficient income under the salary criterion, and an agreed salary at the market rate (what people in similar jobs earn). Recognised sponsors are listed in a public register. For 2026 IND lists gross monthly criteria of €4,357.00 for highly skilled migrants younger than 30 and €5,942.00 for those 30 or older. Vacation allowance is not included in the criterion. A reduced criterion applies in 3 defined cases. IND says the required amounts change every year on January 1, and the amount that applies on the date of the application is the one to meet. Ask the employer to confirm the exact rule for your application date. A school's international profile or your experience does not establish sponsorship. A teaching pay scale and an immigration threshold serve different purposes, so compare the actual offer with both.

IND: Residence permit for work as a highly skilled migrant (leaflet) IND: Required amounts, income requirements

Understand the employer's responsibilities for a Single Permit

UWV says that when an employee will work in the Netherlands for longer than 90 days, the employer applies for a GVVA, the Single Permit that combines residence and work. IND's leaflet says Single Permit and work permit applications both test whether essential interests of the Netherlands are served, which means the employer was unable to find suitable personnel in the Netherlands or elsewhere in Europe. IND then requests advice from UWV. UWV adds that the employer must first try for at least 3 months to find a suitable candidate in the EU/EEA or Switzerland, must report the vacancy to UWV at least 5 weeks before applying, and must arrange safe and clean housing for the foreign employee. These are employer obligations and assessment steps, not a visa available simply because someone is a teacher. UWV says the general conditions for a GVVA are on the IND website. Ask the school whether it has checked the correct route and can complete the recruitment and application work.

UWV: Werkvergunning reguliere arbeidsplaats (work permit for a regular job) IND: Coming to work in the Netherlands (leaflet)

Dutch primary-school salary: two dated tables

The collective agreement for primary education 2025-2027 sets teacher pay scales, and the PO-Raad tables list two sets of amounts. The table effective 1 November 2025 shows LB step 1 at €3,622 and LB step 12 at €5,520 per month. The table effective 1 November 2026 shows LB step 1 at €3,665 and LB step 12 at €5,586. The Dutch government's explanation lists the same November 2026 LB start and maximum amounts, headed as the newest scale amounts, and says its gross figures are based on that agreement. The 2026 table takes effect on 1 November 2026, so check which table applies on your start date. These are two points within one scale for primary education. They are not a national range for every teacher and not an assurance of your placement. For a part-time job the amounts are calculated in proportion to a working fraction other than 1.0 FTE. The government separates salary from total remuneration, which also includes holiday pay, an end-of-year payment and allowances that every teacher receives. Compare base salary with base salary. This page does not give pay for secondary or vocational teachers.

PO-Raad: Salaristabellen behorende bij de cao primair onderwijs 2025-2027 (package per 1 July 2026) Rijksoverheid: Wat verdien ik als leraar in het primair onderwijs?

What to line up before committing

Treat recognition, work permission and the school offer as three separate tracks. Keep each written decision and any conditions with the offer, and name the exact item and the authority responsible for any track that is still open. Before booking a permanent move, check that the intended start and duties are compatible with the documents actually issued.