NetherlandsNursing & Healthcare
A structured pathway for internationally qualified nurses preparing for Dutch language, professional recognition, employer interviews and long-term practice within the Dutch healthcare environment.
Not ready to apply? Start with a short enquiry and understand whether the pathway may fit your background.
01 Employment context
The Netherlands pathway is designed for internationally qualified nurses who are prepared to learn Dutch, adjust to a different professional environment and progress through employer and regulatory processes.
Common starting role
Many internationally qualified nurses may initially work as Verzorgende IG. VIG recognition is initiated first. The separate Registered Nurse recognition process begins later and may then continue before or during VIG employment.
Indicative current CAO VVT range across commonly relevant FWG 35–40 VIG classifications for a 36-hour full-time week. Actual salary depends on the job classification, salary step, recognised experience and employer.
Full-time schedules and shift patterns vary by employer and may include evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays.
VIG recognition is initiated first. The separate RN recognition process begins later and may then continue alongside VIG progression or employment. Moving into an RN role depends on successful recognition, BIG registration, supervised practice, workplace readiness and suitable employment opportunities.
Immigration, employment terms, onboarding and applicable relocation arrangements are confirmed by the employer after selection.
Salary, benefits, housing, immigration support and employment conditions are employer-specific. Final terms are set out in the employment offer and applicable collective agreement.
02 Dutch language preparation
Language preparation progresses through A1, A2 and B1. Communication, cultural understanding and professional readiness develop alongside the language.
Understand the A1–B1 structure ↗Build sound foundations, core patterns and essential everyday communication.
Strengthen comprehension, practical interaction and communication across familiar situations.
Develop the language control needed for interviews, professional interaction and continued workplace learning.
03 Pathway structure
Understand the progression stages from preparation to professional registration.
The introductory stage allows the candidate to assess pathway suitability and experience the learning system before deciding whether to enter the full programme.
Scenario-based assessment of professional adaptability, communication approach, learning readiness, cultural adjustment and motivation.
Experience the Hexallt learning method, Guided Practice, expected pace and the consistency required for continued Dutch-language training.
The candidate decides whether to proceed with the full Netherlands pathway.
This stage begins only after the candidate decides to continue following A1 Band 1. VIG recognition is the first professional-recognition process initiated within the pathway.
The candidate formally registers for the Netherlands Nursing Pathway and moves from initial exposure into structured preparation.
Create the candidate-specific VIG file, review the applicable identity, qualification and professional documents, identify missing records and begin the recognition-document preparation process.
VIG document requirements ↗Where the intermediary procedure applies, the candidate may formally authorise Hexallt to coordinate the VIG recognition dossier and correspondence with CIBG, including a pre-submission document cross-check.
How Hexallt authorisation works ↗After formal registration, the candidate continues the remaining A1 and A2 bands while the VIG dossier and recognition process are progressed.
Continue the remaining A1 bands while strengthening pronunciation, listening, sentence patterns and practical communication.
Develop greater independence in comprehension, communication and response while continuing professional and cultural preparation.
Obtain, certify and organise the applicable VIG documents, address missing requirements and continue the authorised recognition coordination while Dutch-language preparation progresses.
The separate Registered Nurse recognition documentation and application-coordination stage begins before B1 Band 1. VIG remains the first recognition process initiated.
The RN recognition process begins after A2 Band 4. During B1, VIG recognition continues and the separate RN dossier is prepared and progressed toward submission.
Continue B1 language development and prepare for the accepted certification route required for the applicable recognition and employer stages.
Once the required VIG documentation and accepted Dutch B1 evidence are available, the VIG application can proceed through the applicable recognition route. Hexallt coordinates the authorised VIG process where applicable.
The RN dossier is prepared from the beginning of this later stage. Once the required RN documents, Dutch B1 and applicable English-reading evidence are ready, the application can be submitted before relocation from the candidate's home country or current country of residence.
CIBG can review the RN application and progress it toward the BI assessment stage. The nursing BI test and subsequent RN-recognition assessment are completed in the Netherlands.
The objective is to have VIG recognition completed or substantially progressed and the RN recognition application submitted and progressing toward the BI assessment stage, where circumstances and processing timelines allow.
Employer selection and immigration remain separate from professional-recognition decisions.
Prepare for professional communication, Dutch healthcare expectations, workplace scenarios and employer interviews.
Suitable opportunities may be facilitated. Employers independently decide selection, role, salary, benefits and employment terms.
The employer normally leads the applicable employment, residence/work-permit, onboarding and relocation arrangements.
If RN recognition was initiated before relocation, the candidate continues the remaining professional assessment in the Netherlands.
Complete the required nursing professional-content assessment in the Netherlands.
The candidate's qualification, competence, assessment results and supporting evidence are considered within the Dutch recognition process.
Additional education, practical training or another measure may be imposed where identified differences remain.
Successful completion results in the Verklaring van vakbekwaamheid, recognising the foreign qualification for the Dutch profession of verpleegkundige.
Recognition as a nurse and BIG registration are connected but legally separate. The BIG-registration stage begins only after successful Registered Nurse recognition.
Provide the applicable fresh current-status documents, updated professional information and other registration requirements.
After BIG-registration approval, complete the required three-month supervised RN period under a BIG-registered nurse in the same profession.
After the supervision requirement is completed and accepted, the candidate progresses to ordinary BIG registration as a Registered Nurse.
04 General eligibility
Eligibility is reviewed individually. Employer requirements, registration rules and intake conditions may differ.
Check your background →BSc Nursing, GNM or another recognised nursing qualification relevant to the available pathway.
Three or more years of recent, relevant clinical experience is preferred for stronger Netherlands opportunities. Profiles with around two years may still be reviewed individually according to role, specialty, clinical continuity and overall readiness.
No prior Dutch is required, but sustained participation through the language pathway is essential.
Readiness to work within different communication patterns, workplace norms and scopes of responsibility.
Ability to provide verifiable education, registration, experience and identity documents when required.
05 Fees and responsibilities
Review the stage-based Hexallt fees, the services connected to each payment, and the external expenses that may apply. Applicable taxes and payment-processing charges are additional to published Hexallt base fees unless expressly stated otherwise.
View Total Cost Breakdown ↗Base fees are published by stage for assessment, learning, preparation, coordination, guidance and support. Applicable taxes and payment-processing charges are additional unless expressly stated otherwise.
Each payment is connected to a defined pathway stage instead of one unexplained total amount.
Evaluation, examination, regulatory, immigration and other third-party costs are identified separately where applicable.
Regulatory information
The Netherlands nursing pathway information on this page is reviewed against official guidance published through BIG-register / CIBG and the Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). Recognition, registration and immigration decisions remain with the relevant Dutch authorities.
Last reviewed: September 202606 Frequently asked questions
Detailed pathway articles remain available through the Hexallt Abroad Help Centre.
Explore the Knowledge Base ↗Ask on WhatsApp ↗Yes. Indian nurses can be considered for healthcare work in the Netherlands when their nursing qualification, recent clinical experience, Dutch-language readiness, employer requirements, professional-recognition route and immigration conditions align. Hexallt first reviews pathway suitability; the employer selects candidates, and Dutch authorities decide recognition and immigration outcomes.
Yes. Hexallt may review internationally qualified nurses from other countries. Suitability depends on the nursing qualification, country of qualification, current clinical experience, Dutch-language readiness, employer requirements, immigration conditions and the professional-recognition procedure that applies to that qualification. The recognition route may differ for qualifications obtained within the EU/EEA or Switzerland. Review the official foreign-diploma routes ↗
BSc Nursing, GNM and other relevant nursing qualifications may be considered by Hexallt. Education, nursing registration, employment history and supporting documents must be verifiable. Consideration for the pathway is not the same as Dutch recognition: the competent Dutch authority determines whether a foreign healthcare diploma is equivalent.
Three or more years of recent, relevant clinical experience is preferred because it generally creates stronger employer opportunities. Five years is valuable but is not a universal requirement. A nurse with around two years of experience may still apply; Hexallt will review the specialty, clinical continuity, responsibilities, documentation and overall readiness before deciding whether the profile should progress.
Hexallt Abroad does not apply a fixed upper age limit for the Netherlands nursing pathway. Age alone does not determine suitability. We review the complete profile, including recent clinical practice, professional readiness, ability to complete Dutch-language preparation, employer fit, documentation and the immigration conditions applicable at the time.
No prior Dutch knowledge is normally required at the enquiry or initial-assessment stage. Candidates must, however, be prepared for sustained Dutch-language learning from A1 through A2 to B1 and for communication, cultural and workplace preparation alongside the language programme.
A1 Band 1 completes the initial exposure stage. The candidate then decides whether to continue. If the candidate proceeds, formal pathway registration follows and Hexallt begins the VIG recognition process. The candidate then continues the remaining A1 and A2 bands while VIG preparation progresses. The separate Registered Nurse recognition documentation and application-coordination stage begins later, after A2 Band 4 and before B1 Band 1.
B1 is the official Dutch-language level listed by the BIG-register for nursing at MBO level. It can therefore satisfy the language-level requirement when proved through an accepted, current certificate covering reading, writing, speaking and listening. B1 alone does not make someone a Dutch Registered Nurse: a nurse trained outside Europe must also complete the applicable foreign-diploma recognition, BI professional test, Certificate of Competence and BIG-registration steps. Check the official BIG language requirements ↗
For Registered Nurse recognition, BIG-register requires accepted evidence of Dutch at the applicable B1 level covering reading, writing, speaking and listening. The examination and certificate must meet the current BIG-register conditions, including the applicable validity requirements. Because accepted examination routes and certificate conditions can change, candidates should verify the current requirements before booking an examination. Read the official language requirements ↗
No. Verzorgende IG is a care profession at Dutch level 3, while nursing is at level 4 or 5 in the BIG-register comparison. The roles, scope and recognition requirements differ. The BIG-register notes that a nurse may apply for recognition as a VIG using a nursing diploma and that this route does not require the nursing BI test or proof of English proficiency. See the official Netherlands healthcare roadmap ↗
Potentially, yes. VIG recognition is initiated first within the Hexallt pathway. The separate Registered Nurse recognition process begins later and may then continue while the candidate progresses toward, enters or continues suitable VIG employment. Moving into an RN role later requires successful RN recognition, BIG registration, the applicable supervised-practice requirement, workplace readiness and a suitable employment opportunity. Read the complete recognition process ↗
Yes. Once the required RN documentation, Dutch B1 evidence and applicable English-reading evidence are ready, the Registered Nurse recognition application can be submitted before relocation from the candidate's home country or current country of residence. CIBG can review the application and progress it toward the BI assessment stage. The nursing BI test and subsequent RN-recognition assessment are completed in the Netherlands. Read the complete recognition process ↗
Yes. Candidates may formally authorise Hexallt to act as their intermediary for the VIG recognition process. Where authorised, Hexallt can coordinate the recognition dossier and correspondence with CIBG and support a pre-submission document cross-check before the formal application proceeds. The candidate remains the applicant, and all recognition decisions remain with CIBG. How Hexallt authorisation works ↗
Yes. Nursing is a BIG-regulated profession, and only a professional registered in the BIG register may use the protected nurse title and independently perform the reserved activities attached to that profession. A foreign nursing diploma must first follow the applicable official recognition route. Review the foreign-diploma requirements ↗
The BI test is the professional-content test used within the Registered Nurse Certificate of Competence procedure for nurses trained outside Europe. For nurses, it includes a written knowledge test, a skills test and an interview on clinical reasoning. The BIG-register currently lists the nursing test fee as €400; candidates should confirm the current amount before applying. Read the official BI-test information ↗
The BIG-register states that the Certificate of Competence procedure takes an average of six months to one-and-a-half years from submission. That estimate does not include all preparation before submission, such as Dutch-language learning, document collection or remedial learning after an assessment. See the official procedure and timing ↗
Possibly, but only for a role whose legal scope and employer requirements allow it. A care-focused Verzorgende IG opportunity follows a different recognition route from the protected Registered Nurse role. A job offer in a care role must not be understood as RN recognition, and the candidate cannot use the protected nurse title without BIG registration.
For many VVT-sector Verzorgende IG roles, current indicative CAO VVT ranges across commonly relevant FWG 35–40 classifications are approximately €2,664–€3,864 gross per month for a 36-hour full-time week. The actual FWG classification, salary step, allowances, working hours and benefits depend on the position and employer. Review the salary structure ↗
Many Dutch healthcare employers treat approximately 36 hours as full-time, but the contracted hours and roster are employer-specific. Nursing and care schedules may include evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays. The employment offer must state the actual weekly hours, shift arrangements and allowances.
Hexallt publishes the current payment schedule by stage for VIARA, Dutch-language learning and the five professional-support service stages. Applicable taxes and payment-processing charges are additional to published Hexallt base fees unless expressly stated otherwise. External examination, regulatory, documentation, travel and other third-party expenses are identified separately where applicable. View the current Total Cost Breakdown ↗
For the professional service stages covered by the Hexallt Abroad policy, refund eligibility depends primarily on whether candidate-specific work on the paid service stage has begun. VIARA assessment and Dutch-language training remain subject to the terms applicable to those services. Candidates should review the complete policy before making a payment. Read the Payment, Cancellation and Refund Policy ↗
No. Hexallt provides assessment, Dutch-language learning, preparation, guidance and progression support. Employers independently decide selection, role, salary, sponsorship and employment terms. Dutch authorities independently decide professional recognition and immigration applications. No pathway payment creates a guaranteed job, visa or BIG registration.
After a candidate accepts an employment offer, the employer normally coordinates the employment-led immigration route and confirms any relocation or onboarding support included in that offer. The correct permit may vary by the role and employer; sponsorship must therefore be confirmed in writing rather than assumed. Review official IND employer guidance ↗
Family reunification may be possible, but it is not automatic and is separate from the nurse's employment offer. Eligibility, sponsor income, documents, permit type and the family member's work rights depend on IND rules and the principal applicant's residence status. Check the official IND partner requirements ↗
A driving licence is not a universal legal requirement for every nursing job in the Netherlands. It can, however, be an employer requirement for community or home-care work where staff travel between clients. Candidates should check the specific vacancy and written offer; where driving is required, the employer should clarify licence-conversion or local-licensing expectations.
There is no single guaranteed completion date. The total time depends on the candidate's Dutch-learning pace, assessment results, document readiness, interview timing, employer selection, professional recognition and immigration processing. The official Certificate of Competence procedure alone averages six months to one-and-a-half years after submission.
If you are still evaluating suitability, submit the enquiry form with your qualification, specialty, years of experience and questions. If you are ready for formal consideration, use the Hexallt Application Portal ↗. A pathway enquiry is not an employment application.
07 Check pathway suitability
Share your nursing background and what you would like to understand. This enquiry does not register you for the pathway or create an employment application.
We first consider whether the pathway is relevant to your professional background.
Application-ready candidates can continue through the separate Application Portal.
Employer selection and regulatory outcomes remain independent decisions.
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