Netherlands Releases List of 6 Out of 9 Countries Subject to Working Holiday Quotas

• The Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service has published the full list of countries whose nationals can apply for a Working Holiday residence permit in the Netherlands
• Only 9 countries and territories made the eligibility list, with no African nation included among them
• Six of the nine eligible countries are subject to strict annual quotas, capping the number of participants per country each year

The Netherlands has published its official requirements for the Working Holiday residence permit, and only nationals from nine countries or territories around the world are eligible to apply.

The Working Holiday scheme is designed for young people who wish to spend an extended period in the Netherlands, combining travel with temporary work.

According to the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND), the eligible countries are:

1. Argentina
2. Australia
3. Canada
4. Hong Kong
5. Japan
6. New Zealand
7. Taiwan
8. Uruguay
9. South Korea.

Anyone holding a passport from a country not on this list cannot apply for the Working Holiday permit, regardless of circumstances.

Netherlands: Which countries face annual caps

Of the nine eligible countries, six are subject to annual participation limits. Each year, a maximum of 100 young people from these countries below can be granted a Working Holiday residence permit for the Netherlands:

1. Argentina

2. Uruguay

3. Hong Kong

4. Taiwan

Nationals from the nations below have a slightly higher cap, with up to 200 participants allowed per country annually:

5. Japan

6. South Korea

No African country on Netherlands list

The Netherlands Working Holiday programme does not include any African nation among its eligible countries. Citizens from Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, and other African countries are therefore unable to apply for this particular residence permit.

This scheme differs from standard work visas in that it is intended primarily as a cultural exchange and travel experience, with work being a supplementary activity rather than the main purpose of the stay.

See the full eligibility details on the IND official website.

In a similar report, Legit.ng published that the European Union announced 29 countries whose citizens are not required to apply for EES registration.

Australia gives working privileges to some countries

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Australia announced its First Work and Holiday visa, including the 30 countries whose citizens can apply to live, travel and work in the country. The visa is open to eligible applicants aged 18 to 30, although citizens of China, India and Vietnam must first be selected through a ballot.

The list contains no African country, leaving citizens of Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa unable to apply for this visa category. Applicants have also been warned that processing may take several months and advised not to book flights until their visas are approved.