New work permit moratorium: only 6 restricted occupations
Since 20 June 2025 no new work permits are issued for only 6 jobs: low-skilled administrative staff, security guards, warehouse workers, shelf stockers, salespeople and shop staff. The 2021 moratorium on low-skilled work (P.B. 2021, no. 44) was repealed: cooks, waiters, gardeners and construction workers are no longer on the list.
Since when:
What you should do: If your job is not one of those 6, the moratorium no longer blocks the permit: your employer applies for it and the Ministry of Labour (SOAW) still reviews each application. If it is one of the 6, no new permits are issued for that job. The regulation requires an evaluation no later than one year after it took effect; if the list changes, we will publish it here.
Official source: Publicatieblad 2025, no. 78: «Regeling moratorium tewerkstellingsvergunning voor specifieke beroepen en functies» (PDF), published on