Following the judgment of the Dutch High Administrative Court, Japanese nationals – who could already stay in the Netherlands for up to 90 days in a 180-day period on the basis of their passport - can now work in the Netherlands without a Dutch work permit or any other documentation or registration during their stay. The judgment was announced in January and its implementation has been confirmed through an official communication from the Dutch Labor Authorities.
This exemption is also applicable to intermittent assignments, for which the total stay in the Netherlands does not exceed 90 days cumulatively in a 180-day period.
For stays exceeding 90 days, Japanese nationals will only require a residence permit, and will not be subject to labor market tests. The Dutch Immigration Authorities (IND) are currently discussing the further impact of this judgment on residence authorization in the Netherlands for Japanese nationals whose stay will exceed 90 days in a 180-day period.
Possible Reciprocal Policy in Japan
Japanese authorities may consider a reciprocal policy which would allow Dutch nationals to work without work authorization in Japan. The outcome depends on whether Japanese authorities and courts would acknowledge the Dutch judgment.
What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals
Japanese nationals working in the Netherlands and their employers should benefit from the elimination of the work authorization process. Japanese nationals whose stays in the Netherlands will exceed 90 days - either consecutively, or cumulatively in a 180-day period - should contact their immigration professional to discuss the process to obtain a residence permit.
Fragomen will continue to monitor and report developments of the IND’s and Japanese government’s policies in relation to this exemption.
This alert is provided for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
© 2015 Fragomen
Explore more at Fragomen
Blog post
Manager Dr. Adela Schmidt examines common misconceptions in German citizenship law, including birthright citizenship, dual citizenship, citizenship by descent and naturalization processing, and explains why eligibility often depends on specific legal requirements, timelines and documentation.
Awards
Partner Audrea Golding, Senior Associate Kyle Sommer and Senior Talent Development Director Wendy Milici have been named finalists in the 2026 TLC Lions Human Awards Americas, recognizing their contributions to human-centered leadership, workplace culture and inclusion.
Media mentions
Fragomen and SICPA have launched a global joint venture to develop an end-to-end digital identity platform that enables secure identity verification, document authentication and verifiable credential management.
Media mentions
Senior Counsel Mitch Wexler discusses how potential changes to H-1B visas, employment-based green cards and OPT could impact employers’ workforce planning and compliance obligations.
Media mentions
In a Leaders in Motion interview with World Business Travel Forum, Partner Ali Haider and Nomadic CEO Carsten Østberg discuss recent travel and mobility developments across the Middle East and practical considerations for employers managing cross-border talent in the region.
Media mentions
Partner Rachel Beardsley explains how new DHS guidance clarifies that dairy employers may use the H-2A program when they can demonstrate a temporary or seasonal labor need.
Fragomen news
Fragomen and SICPA announced the formation of a global joint venture to advance next-generation digital identity solutions for governments, enterprises and individuals.
Blog post
Senior Associate Kyle Sommer and Adam Schwartz, Director in the Global Mobility practice at Andersen, discuss how immigration and tax considerations intersect across common US immigration classifications and why early coordination can help travelers, employers and advisors reduce compliance risks and make more informed mobility decisions.
Podcast
In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Senior Associates Sarah Melnick and Kimberly Elmazi discuss key considerations for foreign nationals planning international summer travel, including visa appointment planning, document preparation, consular interviews, port-of-entry procedures and I-94 review.
Podcast
UK Government Affairs Strategy Director Shuyeb Muquit is joined by Jonathan Thomas of the Social Market Foundation, Dr. Ben Brindle of the Migration Observatory, University of Oxford and Steve McCauley of the University of Cambridge to discuss what a new UK Prime Minister could mean for immigration policy, employers and workforce mobility.
Fragomen news
Blog post
Manager Dr. Adela Schmidt examines common misconceptions in German citizenship law, including birthright citizenship, dual citizenship, citizenship by descent and naturalization processing, and explains why eligibility often depends on specific legal requirements, timelines and documentation.
Awards
Partner Audrea Golding, Senior Associate Kyle Sommer and Senior Talent Development Director Wendy Milici have been named finalists in the 2026 TLC Lions Human Awards Americas, recognizing their contributions to human-centered leadership, workplace culture and inclusion.
Media mentions
Fragomen and SICPA have launched a global joint venture to develop an end-to-end digital identity platform that enables secure identity verification, document authentication and verifiable credential management.
Media mentions
Senior Counsel Mitch Wexler discusses how potential changes to H-1B visas, employment-based green cards and OPT could impact employers’ workforce planning and compliance obligations.
Media mentions
In a Leaders in Motion interview with World Business Travel Forum, Partner Ali Haider and Nomadic CEO Carsten Østberg discuss recent travel and mobility developments across the Middle East and practical considerations for employers managing cross-border talent in the region.
Media mentions
Partner Rachel Beardsley explains how new DHS guidance clarifies that dairy employers may use the H-2A program when they can demonstrate a temporary or seasonal labor need.
Fragomen news
Fragomen and SICPA announced the formation of a global joint venture to advance next-generation digital identity solutions for governments, enterprises and individuals.
Blog post
Senior Associate Kyle Sommer and Adam Schwartz, Director in the Global Mobility practice at Andersen, discuss how immigration and tax considerations intersect across common US immigration classifications and why early coordination can help travelers, employers and advisors reduce compliance risks and make more informed mobility decisions.
Podcast
In this episode of The Immigration Conversation, Senior Associates Sarah Melnick and Kimberly Elmazi discuss key considerations for foreign nationals planning international summer travel, including visa appointment planning, document preparation, consular interviews, port-of-entry procedures and I-94 review.
Podcast
UK Government Affairs Strategy Director Shuyeb Muquit is joined by Jonathan Thomas of the Social Market Foundation, Dr. Ben Brindle of the Migration Observatory, University of Oxford and Steve McCauley of the University of Cambridge to discuss what a new UK Prime Minister could mean for immigration policy, employers and workforce mobility.
Fragomen news
