Recruitment Agency Register

Official online lookupRatified ILO C181

Recruitment agency licensing in Netherlands

Licensing authority: No permit is required today. Lenders of workers must register in the Business Register (Handelsregister) of the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (KVK) under the Waadi. From 1 January 2027 the Wtta introduces mandatory admission (toelating) by the Nederlandse Autoriteit Uitleenmarkt (NAU), and the Netherlands Labour Authority enforces it from 1 January 2028.5,6,7,2

How to check an agency in Netherlands

Hirers must check that the business they hire staff from is registered, and business.gov.nl recommends the KVK Waadi check. Businesses holding the SNA quality mark of Stichting Normering Arbeid are inspected regularly and listed in an SNA register. KVK says the Waadi check will no longer be available from 2028, when Waadi data moves to the public NAU register.6,7

Open the official lookup

Who needs a licence

Today the Waadi applies to organisations that supply (lend or post) staff, which "must be registered in KVK's Business Register" with a registration stating that they supply temporary staff, according to business.gov.nl. KVK says foreign businesses that lend out workers in the Netherlands for payment must also register, even without a Dutch branch. Lenders that are not registered, and hirers that use them, may be fined. From 1 January 2027 the Wtta requires admission by the NAU, as set out under notable developments.6,5

Licence conditions

Under the Wtta, from 2027 a lender must submit a certificate of conduct (VOG), lodge a deposit of 100,000 euros and submit an inspection report showing compliance with rules such as the statutory minimum wage and equal pay for equal work, according to Rijksoverheid and KVK. KVK says lenders with a valid SNA certificate do not need to submit an inspection report or join the transitional scheme, but must still pay the deposit and submit a VOG.3,7

ILO Private Employment Agencies Convention (C181)

Ratified on 15 September 19991

Main law

Developments

  1. The Eerste Kamer (Senate) approved the Wtta, which introduces mandatory admission for lenders of workers, according to Rijksoverheid.3
  2. The Wtta applies from 1 January 2027. KVK says lenders without a valid SNA certificate could sign up for the transitional scheme with the NAU from 1 November to 31 December 2026 and must apply for admission between 1 May and 30 June 2027. The NAU says hirers can use its register from 1 July 2027 to check a lender's status. From 1 January 2028 the Netherlands Labour Authority enforces the Wtta and lenders without admission, and businesses hiring from them, can be fined.7,4,2

Checked 28 October 2026. This page describes the licensing system. It does not list or rate individual agencies.

Sources

  1. Government of the Netherlands, Treaty Database, Convention concerning Private Employment Agencies, Geneva, 19-06-1997 (29 January 2026)
  2. Rijksoverheid, Aanpak misstanden bij uitzendbureaus en andere uitleners (12 August 2026)
  3. Rijksoverheid, Eerste Kamer stemt in met strengere regels voor de uitleenmarkt (11 November 2025)
  4. Nederlandse Autoriteit Uitleenmarkt, Toelating uitleenmarkt
  5. Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (KVK), How do I register a foreign legal structure according to the Waadi Act? (16 October 2025)
  6. business.gov.nl (Netherlands Chamber of Commerce), Hiring and posting staff: Waadi registration and Waadi check
  7. Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (KVK), The WTTA: Stricter rules for employment agencies (20 October 2026)