16 September 2026
Truck Driver Jobs in the Netherlands with Visa Sponsorship: Complete Guide (2026)
Rotterdam's port never really slows down. Containers stacked everywhere, trucks queued to pull them out, and for a few years now, not enough drivers to keep that queue moving. That's the short version of why Dutch transport companies are looking abroad.
The longer version: Dutch drivers are getting older, fewer young people want the job, warehousing around Venlo and Tilburg keeps growing, and Brexit changed how freight moves between the UK and EU in ways that didn't help. Put all that together and you get hauliers who'd rather sponsor a work permit than leave a truck sitting empty.
If you drive CE and you're wondering whether the Netherlands is worth pursuing, here's what we'd tell a driver sitting across the table from us. Who actually gets hired. How the permit process goes. What you'll be paid. And where Code 95 Plus fits into getting you there. If you're also weighing your options elsewhere in Europe, see how the process compares in our Germany driver guide and our Ireland driver guide.
The Shortage Isn't New, and It's Not Fixing Itself
Dutch industry bodies have been talking about this driver gap for years. It hasn't closed. If anything it's gotten a bit wider each year, and companies that used to hire exclusively from the Netherlands or nearby EU countries now build sponsorship into their normal hiring plan. Not as a backup option. As the plan.
For a driver outside the EU, that's good news. You're not trying to slip through some rare exception. You're applying for something Dutch employers do routinely now.
What Gets You Considered
Before any visa talk starts, employers want to see a valid Category CE licence (or one you can convert), current Driver CPC — known as Code 95 in the EU — a digital tachograph card, somewhere around 1-2 years of long-haul or international driving you can actually back up with paperwork, a clean record with no major violations against your name, and working English (Dutch helps, it's rarely required for international runs). You'll also need to pass a Dutch medical and eyesight check before anything moves forward.
Where you're from matters less than people assume. We've placed drivers from the Philippines, India, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Kenya. What actually gets checked first is your licence and whether your experience holds up.
The Permit Process, Step by Step
There are technically two routes into a sponsored job here. Most drivers only ever touch one of them.
The Single Permit, or GVVA, is the usual path. It bundles your work permit and residence permit into one application — the Dutch call it Gecombineerde Vergunning Verblijf en Arbeid — and your employer files it through the Employee Insurance Agency (UWV) and Dutch immigration (IND). You're mostly waiting during this part, though you need to move fast when they ask for documents.
There's also a Highly Skilled Migrant route, but it's rarely used for a standard driving job. That one's more for fleet or supervisory positions.
- Employer files the work permit application with UWV/IND
- You send your licence, CPC card, medical certificate, and background documents
- A provisional visa (MVV) gets issued, if your nationality requires one
- You collect it from the Dutch embassy or consulate back home
- You travel to the Netherlands and register with your local municipality (BRP)
- You pick up your residence card and start work
Six to fourteen weeks, start to finish, for most drivers. What actually slows things down usually isn't the Dutch side — it's how fast you get your own paperwork sorted, and how busy your embassy is that particular month.
What the Pay Actually Looks Like
Sponsored CE drivers generally land somewhere between €2,800 and €3,600 gross a month. Where exactly depends on the company, the route, and how much experience you're bringing.
On top of that base, most contracts include per-diem for nights away from base on international runs, a holiday allowance worth 8% of your yearly salary (paid separately, usually in May), access to Dutch health insurance once you're set up, paid leave under Dutch labour law, and extra for overtime or weekend work depending on who you're working for.
Drivers on international runs into Germany, Belgium, France tend to out-earn drivers doing purely domestic Dutch work. The international routes just pay more.
What You'd Actually Be Driving
Most sponsored roles are international long-haul across neighboring countries — that's where the shortage bites hardest, by a wide margin. Reefer and temperature-controlled freight, food and pharma mostly, pays a touch more and comes up regularly. Container work out of Rotterdam and Amsterdam is close to constant given the volume those ports handle. Domestic distribution jobs exist, but they usually go to drivers already living in the Netherlands, so sponsorship openings there are thin on the ground.
Get These Documents Together Before You Need Them
- Passport valid for your intended stay
- Category CE driving licence
- Driver CPC / Code 95 certificate
- Digital tachograph card
- Proof of driving experience — reference letters, employment records
- A recent medical certificate
- Passport photos meeting Schengen visa spec
- Police clearance certificate
Get certified translations done now, English or Dutch, and it'll save you time once an employer starts the UWV application.
Where We Come In
Code 95 Plus works directly with Dutch transport companies already sponsoring drivers. You're not sending a CV out and hoping someone opens it. We check your licence, CPC status, and experience against jobs that are open right now, we'll tell you straight if something in your paperwork needs fixing before you apply, and we coordinate the GVVA process with the employer directly. Once that's through, we help with the embassy appointment, picking up the MVV, and getting through your first weeks on the ground.
If your CE licence and Code 95 are current and you're actually ready to move, get in touch. Most of the time we can tell you within a few days whether you're a fit for what's open.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not really, not for international routes. A lot of that work runs in English. Domestic distribution jobs are more likely to want some Dutch out of you.
No, and this trips almost everyone up at first. CE licence lets you drive the vehicle. Code 95 is a separate, ongoing training requirement to drive professionally anywhere in the EU. You need both, no way around it.
Six to fourteen weeks from your offer, usually. Depends on your nationality and how fast you move on paperwork.
Once you've got a valid Dutch residence permit, yes, family reunification is possible. The details depend on your permit type and income though, so this one's really case by case — best raised with your employer's HR or an immigration adviser once you're further along.
Any cost gets laid out clearly before you agree to anything. Ask our team and we'll walk you through it.
Most employers want 1-2 years of CE experience you can actually prove. International route experience puts you ahead of most other applicants.
Thinking about truck driver jobs in the Netherlands with visa sponsorship? Get in touch with Code 95 Plus and we'll match you against what's open, based on your licence, your experience, and when you're free to move.
Related Guides
Comparing your options across Europe? Read our Germany truck driver visa sponsorship guide or our Ireland truck driver visa sponsorship guide to see how the process, pay, and requirements compare.