Work temporarily in the Netherlands

If you are in possession of a European or Swiss diploma and you have a profession for which BIG registration is required, you can work (provide services) temporarily and occasionally in another Member State under a condition and with permission due to a European directive without the need for recognition of the diploma (professional qualification).

Last updated on the 27th of July 2022

Applying for the temporary and occasional provision of services

Important to know!

  • As long as your application is being processed and you have not yet received permission, you cannot start working.
  • You will not be registered in the BIG register. This means that you will not receive a registration number and patients will not be able to look you up in the BIG register. Patients may ask you about this, and you should bear this in mind when communicating with them.
  • You may not work as a supervisor in the context of the recognition of qualifications.
  • If you start working as a healthcare professional in the Netherlands as a self-employed person, even if this is only temporary, you are obliged to take out professional liability Insurance. You can discuss the options with your employer.
  • You can always request a BIG registration. This way you can be sure that you can work in the Netherlands for a longer period of time. Depending on your personal situation, you can immediately apply for registration in the BIG register, or you must first apply for a certificate of competence or recognition of professional qualifications. You can also find more information about these procedures on this website.
  • The work experience you gain during the period in which you have permission to provide temporary and incidental services, is independently gained and may therefore count as work experience when applying for registration with a diploma older than five years.

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